Saving Grace
by Shimmering Skittles
Summary: Takes place during Deathly Hallows. It is Ginny's sixth year, and Hogwarts has never been so terrible a place to be. As hard as she tries, feelings of depression and helplessness begin to overwhelm her. At least, until she comes up with a plan to help others. It's too bad the only way to make it work is to involve Malfoy...or maybe that's not such a bad thing after all.
1. What Can Be Done?

**Chapter 1: What Can Be Done?**

Crooked yellow teeth formed a smile that she simply couldn't look away from. She was pinned to the wall, wishing desperately that she could tug hard enough to detach her wrists from her hands. For as painful as that would be, surely nothing could match the sensations that she was enduring currently. Wet, hot streaks of tears ran down her face and onto her uniform. Yes, her uniform. She was in school; a place that should be safe. As it turned out, school had become more dangerous than the dodgiest back alley in Knockturn Alley.

She had been out tonight, trying to sneak a message onto the wall that would advertise the D.A. Confronted with a school that was run by Voldermort's lackeys, Neville and herself had resurrected Dumbledore's Army. So far they had been meeting at night in the 7th year boys' bedroom in Gryffindor Tower. It was the only safe place they could think of. But it did restrict members to only being Gryffindors. After a month of this, Ginny had finally chanced trying to inform the other Houses about it. Maybe Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff could start their own branches of it. But just as she was finishing up the graffiti, she had been caught.

Instead of detention, Carrow had struck her with a hex that slammed her into the stone wall. Dizzy and bruised, Ginny hadn't been able to shoot a defensive spell quick enough. Carrow had used the next few seconds to shoot a spell that manipulated Ginny into a spread eagle formation on the wall. And then the worst had happened. Ginny didn't know the spell Carrow was using, but it must have been dark magic. Her hands felt like white-hot rods had been shoved through them.

"My my. Your twelfth incident this year and it's only the second month of school. It seems our little detentions just aren't cutting it eh?" Ginny only continued to cry out in pain. Detentions were awful, and they had only been getting worse. The first few had been enough to deter her from outright defiance. She had since adopted a strategy of quiet rebellion; keeping her mouth shut in class and secretly practicing defense late at night with the others. But it was to no avail. Both of the Carrows had it out for her and she had been given detentions for just about anything. The last one had been for thinking herself too good to eat the food at Hogwarts. In reality, she hadn't eaten as much that night because her stomach was still rolling from her last detention. She had been assigned to scrape out the cauldrons that the fifth years had been brewing in. Their potions this year were highly disturbing. She had been scrapping out blood and some sort of flesh and she didn't know what else. The smell had been absolutely horrendous and exposure to the potion remnants had made her hands and arms burn.

Alecto Carrow continued to scrutinize Ginny with those ugly, beady eyes. "I knew you were one of those brats leading this thing. This attempt to defy your betters. You think you're a little hero? Doing your best to help your pathetic boyfriend? Let me tell you something you filthy blood-traitor; he'll die like the scum he is and you…" Alecto trailed off and Ginny felt a stab of fear. Her eyes had a mad glint to them. "Oh, yes that's it isn't it? The perfect way for you to realize you're alone in all this. No allies for filth like you. Oh yes, if we break the leader, we'll break the whole thing apart. No more of this sickening defiance."

Ginny felt her hands be released and collapsed on the floor in relief. Alecto continued to talk, something about needing to prepare things, but Ginny wasn't listening. All she cared about was the absence of searing pain. Her hands were stiff and sore, barely responsive as she tried to bend her fingers. But the torture was over, at least for now, and she could worry about whatever Alecto had in mind later.

Ginny was queasy with unease as Alecto walked next to her, ensuring that Ginny went nowhere else other than her dorm. But once they reached the Fat Lady, Alecto did nothing. She simply let Ginny go back into her dorm. By the time Ginny had walked up the stairs and reached her bed, her heart was beginning to slow down. A dead weight was taking shape in her chest though. She had failed and now the D.A was back to square one. Hiding in the Gryffindor Tower and no way to let the others know there was hope. More alarming to her, however, was that Alecto now had a new plan for her. If not detentions, what did she have in store?

Ginny didn't get an answer the next day or even the following day. For two days, she tried unsuccessfully to push her panic away and focus on classes. Was this Alecto's plan? To play mental games with her until she completely lost it? Neville told her to try and not worry too much about it, but she couldn't help it. If it had been Amycus who had made the threat, she would have at least known what to expect; some form of horrible physical torture. His sister though, well Ginny liked her even less than her brother. Alecto's vindictiveness could run deeper, Ginny was sure of it. The only thing she couldn't figure out was what form it would take.

It was Thursday night and Ginny had just put a boiled baby potato in her mouth when Rionach nudged her hard in the ribs. Ginny scowled and raised an eyebrow at the Gryffindor, but Rionach paid it little to no attention. She was jerking her head to the side and Ginny followed the direction with her eyes. Neville was there, giving her a look she didn't quite know how to interpret. She scrunched up her face and shook her head. Why would he try to be telling her something now? In the Great Hall where the Carrows and Snape were? There was an unspoken agreement that out in public, they would be keeping their heads down and saving anything important to talk about for when they couldn't be heard. Neville sighed and rolled his eyes, before violently flicking his fork in the direction of the Slytherin table.

Out of all the houses, Slytherin was the largest this year. The other three had all lost a few given that muggleborns were no longer welcome at Hogwarts. Slytherin also had the most house points, largely thanks to the Carrows, but you wouldn't know it by looking at them. If anyone thought that Slytherins would be happy and obnoxious now that the Dark Lord was in power, they were woefully wrong. On the whole, the Slytherins were victims of the oppressive atmosphere just as much as any of the other houses. Most were quietly eating just like the rest of the school, shoulders hunched over in an effort to make themselves small. Of course there were exceptions. Some seemed to revel in their power, but it was a minority. But what was it that Neville wanted her to notice? She spent a minute scanning the table before she realized what Neville had seen. The tall, blonde head that made her seethe with hate wasn't there.

She wasn't so blinded by prejudice and hate that she didn't realize what Malfoy was. He wasn't a malicious death eater who had spent the summer torturing and killing people, no matter what the younger years said. At meals he looked half-dead and had dark circles under his eyes. She also knew from seventh years that he barely spoke in class, looking on vacantly as the Carrows made life hell for his classmates. He was a shell of his former self. And it absolutely infuriated Ginny. Among the students, Malfoy had the most knowledge about the dark arts. Whatever else he was, he was smart. He had money. He had the ability to get others to follow his lead. And he was wasting it all!

It was beyond obvious that he didn't like how Hogwarts was being run. He wasn't getting joy from any of it. So why couldn't he do something about it? He was a deatheater, same as Snape and the Carrows. If anyone had the guts to confront them about something, it should be him. Instead he wallowed in self-defeat, acting as if he was as helpless as a first-year. He had the potential to do so much. If only he would act on it.

She nodded at Neville to show that she understood. If Draco was really gone, then something big must have happened. Was he being given a new mission? And if so, what? She didn't get much of a chance to ponder this as Alecto chose that moment to leave the table and walk over to where Ginny was sitting. Ginny could feel every eye in the Great Hall on her. Alecto noticed this as well and smiled. A horrid, crooked smile that made the students cower. "It has come to my attention that some of you think going behind the backs of your professors is a smart move. I am here to tell you it is not. Miss. Weasley will no longer have the privilege of evenings with her peers. There will be no plotting or planning. Instead she will spend her time that is not in class in her own little cell. Alone. Now get up." Ginny gulped and grabbed her satchel off of the floor. A cell? How was she going to practice defense now? How was she going to have those all-important conversations with friends; the ones that kept her from the edge of despair?

She could feel the sympathy coming from her classmates, but no one said a word. It was this that Ginny thought she hated the most. The ever-present fear that kept everyone subdued and silent. Alecto led her down into the dungeons, past flickering torches and cold stone walls. Then she stopped and Ginny stared. There was nothing there. Alecto smirked at her and then roughly grabbed her hand. Ginny cried out, but fell silent as Alecto made a small cut on her hand then shoved it onto the wall. Stones began to shift and created a doorway. "You should consider yourself lucky. If there are any more problems from you, you can bet you'll have nothing but a mat and a bucket." Ginny nodded and blinked back a tear. So that's why her cell looked rather nice. It was so that there would still be something to take from her if she stepped out of line again.

Alecto left her and Ginny heard the stones shift shut. The room had all the standard furniture in it. There was her bed, her trunk, end table, light, and her desk. There was even a door that led into a small bathroom. All in all, the only horrid thing was that she was alone. Stuck in the dungeons, far away from anyone who could comfort her. It made her feel lonely; just what Alecto had intended. Sighing, Ginny pulled out her Charms homework and tried to focus on that.

Two weeks passed as Ginny slowly began to feel herself slip into a state of depression. Even Halloween was horrid. The students had all been forced to stay in the Great Hall and listen to Alecto tell them horrible stories where muggles ran amuck and attacked wizards. There were so many detailed accounts of wizard-persecution, even Ginny began to find herself questioning if some of it had some truth after all.

And every night Ginny was forced to sleep in a cell. After dinner, Flich would "escort" her to her cell and there she would have to stay. The stones refused to open back up into a doorway until half eight the next morning. That gave her just enough time to race to breakfast, eat quickly, and get to her first class. Throughout the day few dared to try and speak to her, aware of the Carrows lurking. In fact, many seemed mired in their own depression, unable to do anything but move around bleakly and stare at professors blankly. Worst of all, Ginny could never go at night to practice defense with the rest of the resurrected D.A. In those two weeks, she realized that those nightly sessions had been a large part of what had kept her going. If not much, at least it made it feel like she was doing _something_.

It was now the beginning of November and she was getting desperate for something to break the bleakness. As she got in bed for the night, she realized she'd even be thankful for tears. Now all she had was a heavy, hollow feeling. It wasn't as if she had never had a reason to be scared before. Her first year at Hogwarts had in fact included a lot of fear on her part. Fear of why she couldn't remember things, fear of why she woke with blood on her hands, fear of getting petrified. The difference was that there were events in between her bouts of fear, whether it was watching a Quidditch game or complaining about a Transfiguration essay. And the fear back then had sent her adrenaline pumping. Now it was an oppressive blanket, slowly smothering her with no respite. Worse, it was affecting everyone. Even little eleven-year olds whose wide eyes made her heart break.

The next morning she went up for breakfast, chewing a piece of toast and scanning the paper to make sure no one she knew had died since yesterday. She tried not to read the articles anymore, but she couldn't help but notice the front page today. A research study had been conducted that concluded that the way mudbloods had acquired magic was that they had stolen it from squibs. It said the Ministry was now instituting a system where squibs would be the rightful judges of what was to be done with the mudbloods. Ginny had to admit it was clever. If the Ministry was really going to push the ridiculous idea that muggleborns had stolen magic, not been born with it, this was as likely an explanation as they could have come up with. And now the squibs would have a role in this crazy world-order. She was sure Flich would be over the moon. Looking up to pour some juice, she stopped and stared. Malfoy was back.

He looked like shit. She could see some of his housemates trying to quietly talk to him but he was focused on his plate. Then Parkinson put her hand on his arm and his head came up to look at her. She watched his initial flash of anger soften, and then he was speaking to her. It shouldn't have taken Ginny aback. Logically, she knew he must care about his friends. Still, it was strange seeing it in action. He was speaking quietly, but sincerely, and Pansy's worry was slowly replaced by a relieved smile. He smirked at her as she said something, and apparently that was enough to ease her mind. She went back to talking and laughing with her housemates, while Malfoy's face fell and he went back to staring at his plate.

Ginny looked away, her stomach having twisted uncomfortably. She felt as if she had just witnessed something she was never meant to see. She should be curious. She should want to know what he had said to make Parkinson smile. She knew it had to have been about what he had been up to for the last two weeks. What he been summoned by You Know Who for. Had there been more attacks, a plan being set up? It should be important. Knowing what the death eaters were doing should matter. But it didn't. Not really. Even if she knew all their plans, down to the very last detail, what would she be able to do? How would she be able to stop them? Their only hope now was Harry, Ron, and Hermione. She was useless here at Hogwarts.

The day dragged, and Ginny found she couldn't concentrate on a single lesson. She hadn't found much enthusiasm for her classes all year, but never had it been this bad. In Potions, she almost blew her cauldron up, but Slughorn feigned ignorance and gave her a passing grade regardless. In Ancient Runes, her translation was complete gibberish. Professor Babbling only handed it back to her, giving her an extension until tomorrow to fix it. Her last lesson was Herbology. The plant they were working with had the potential to burn if not stroked correctly before handling. Ginny didn't realize she had done anything wrong until she dropped it with a shriek, her entire hand an angry red. Professor Sprout had given a disappointed sigh before sending Ginny to Madame Pomphrey. On her way there, Ginny realized her mental state was dangerous.

She couldn't go on like this. She had no opportunity to hang out and be carefree, she had no way to help her friends and family, she had no purpose. She felt as if she should be sobbing, but the tears wouldn't come. Instead, she remained stoic as she went into the Hospital Wing for something to treat her hand. She waited as she saw Madame Pomphrey busy with another student, staring at the scene vacantly until it clicked. She knew that student. Millicent Bulstrode was sitting on the hospital bed, hyperventilating. Madame Pomphrey was attempting to get her calm enough to ingest the potion being offered to her.

Ginny wasn't sure what to do. Ignoring her hand could mean scarring. And yet, staying here seemed intrusive. As a compromise, Ginny left the actual room, and went to go sit down next to the doorway. The hallway was cold and the stone floor was hard. She didn't mind. The only time she had ever really had to interact with Millicent was when she had been on that ridiculous squad Umbridge had appointed. She remembered the Slytherin had docked points from her for using a jinx in the halls. Of course her opponent, another Slytherin, hadn't been punished a bit. At the time it had infuriated her. She had lumped Millicent in with the entire Inquisitional Squad, and decided she hated her. Now though, it seemed idiotic to hate her. All Ginny could feel was a small shred of sympathy.

The sound of running footsteps broke her out of her revive. Looking up, she saw another Slytherin hurrying down the hall and undoubtedly into the Hospital Wing. Some remnant of decency forced Ginny to stand and block their path. "Madame Pomphrey is busy. You need to wait out here." The girl sneered at her and reached for her wand. Ginny was quicker. "Don't." The girl looked at Ginny's wand pointed at her and then back up into Ginny's eyes. Ginny didn't know what she had expected. All she knew was that it was certainly not what happened.

Daphne's face had paled and she looked on the verge of tears. "Is, is everything okay in there? I couldn't leave any earlier, it was Dark Arts. Skipping that class, it's immediate detention." It took only a moment for Ginny to piece it together. Of course. Daphne and Millicent had been dorm mates for over six years. It wasn't a reach to assume they might be friends. Ginny lowered her wand and shook her head slowly. "I don't know. I left when I realized Madame Pomphrey was busy. I'm just waiting for some burn salve."

Daphne glanced down at Ginny's hand and jerked her head back in shock. "That looks horrible." There was a beat of silence and then Daphne lifted her wand again. "Here, I know a little healing. If you need it." Ginny was rather sure she had never spoken to Daphne before. She had spoken to her sister Astoria a few times in class though, and really didn't have much against her. She was a snob, always wearing the best designer clothing, but snobbery seemed like such a small complaint to have against someone now. Squelching her urge to hesitate, Ginny thrust her hand out and let Daphne wave her wand over it. Her hand glowed white for a while, and then the glow dissipated. The pain and soreness had definitely improved, but the red was still there. She smiled. "Thanks." Daphne nodded uncertainly, and then looked back at the door, her thoughts obviously on her friend.

It was the second time in a day that Ginny found her stomach twisting. She didn't really know either girl. But just ignoring everything, accepting things were the way they were, it obviously wasn't working. She needed to care more about life, about other people. And if she started with this, well, why not? "I know this is intrusive, but what happened to her?" Daphne's eyes snapped to hers, and her mouth thinned. Ginny stayed still, hoping Daphne would realize she had no ill intentions. Eventually, after a long glare, Daphne seemed to deflate. "We all have things to contend with this year Weasley." Ginny's brow furrowed and she went to ask another question, but at that moment the door opened and Millicent walked out. She was clutching the potion Pomphrey had given her desperately, her entire body still shaking, wet trails evident on her face from sobbing.

Gasping, Daphne ran to her friend and Ginny watched as Millicent seemed to collapse into the hug. Knowing that interrupting would be horribly rude, Ginny slid quietly into the Hospital Wing and went to get her burn salve. By the time Madame Pomphrey had gotten it, applied it to her hand, and given her leave to go, the Slytherins had disappeared. It was surprising, but Ginny found that she felt better. Not just her hand. No. She felt more focused, more real. Like she wasn't just floating through the castle, living her life by accident. While she supposed there were many things that could shake up a Slytherin this year, the number one reason was family. As far as Ginny knew, none of Millicent's family members were death eaters. She went straight to the library, intent on grabbing a copy of the Daily Prophet. She didn't know where most of them went after breakfast was over, she suspected the house elves threw them out with the leftover food, but at least one copy would sit in the library. Well, at least it normally did.

Looking at the table it was almost always on, Ginny was stupefied to see it empty. Another student must have it. Glancing around, her stomach sunk as she spotted it. It had been left on a study table. This was of course fine, except that study table was currently occupied by none other than Draco Malfoy. His stuff took up half the table. At first she thought it was just arrogance that had made him claim half a table, spreading his stuff out as if no one else was entitled to space. And then she realized why he would be in here, textbooks and parchments around him, the quantity outstanding. He was making up work. He had been gone for two weeks. No doubt he was behind, alarmingly so. He seemed thoroughly engrossed, scratching away at some essay. She decided to take a risk.

Going over, she not only grabbed the Prophet off of the table, but she sat down to read it. She realized half of her was hoping he would notice her. She would be lying if she said she had nothing to say to him. She liked to believe she wasn't particularly scared of him, and maybe this was a chance. She glanced over at him, but he was still working, oblivious to her. She wasn't sure what she wanted to happen, but she wasn't ready to initiate it quite yet.

Half stalling for time, and half genuinely curious about what had happened to Millicent, she flipped through the prophet and read. It was page four that eventually stopped her search. Most of the page was an article about how to charm areas so any muggle would become violently ill if they got too close. She found herself disgusted, and remembered why she didn't do any more than skim the paper these days. The charms to keep muggles away had always been harmless. There was no need to make them ill to avoid a place except in order to hurt them. She was just about to move on the page 5, when the bottom of the page caught her eye. In small script, as if it had no importance, was a list of mudbloods that had their trials slated for tomorrow. There were only two names, and neither a Bulstrode, but she couldn't think of what else it could be.

Looking back over at Draco, she knew this was possibly going to end very badly. But nothing ventured, nothing gained she supposed. "Malfoy?" His head shot up and he looked around, positively startled, until his gaze landed on her. She saw him immediately reach for his wand and decided to talk quickly. "Do you happen to know the maiden name of Millcent's mother?" It wasn't an impossible question. A number of purebloods knew the genealogy of others, especially among the sacred 28. Her family excluded of course. The question had thrown him, so much so that he actually answered. "Jenkins."

Ginny nodded, and then furrowed her brow. That name hadn't been one of the two either. Surprisingly, Draco was still looking at her, and not in a particularly horrible way either. "Why?" She shrugged and looked back at the paper. She kept her voice neutral and refused to think about why him staring at her made her nervous. "I thought one of these people might be related to her, but I guess I was wrong."

She was just about to give up and leave, when his voice stopped her. "Let me see." She looked over and felt her heart pound slightly faster. She knew she had initiated the conversation, but the fact that she was talking to him was still slightly panic inducing. And not for the reasons it should be. It wasn't that he was a death eater. It was that she hadn't had his attention on her since she was fourteen and she had hexed him. They had both grown a lot since then and she had no idea what she wanted from him anymore. Holding the paper out to him, she saw him looking at the page in confusion. "On the bottom. The two muggleborns." His eyes dropped down to the bottom and then narrowed as if he was trying to think.

"I'm not sure. Do you know her line well?" He looked up at her and Ginny realized he thought she had been asking because the name was familiar. That she would know the sacred 28 lines as well as he did. It shouldn't have, but him assuming they had something in common made her feel good. That he was seeing her as just a fellow pureblood, and not as someone underneath him.

As for his question, she didn't have any loyalty to Millicent. She wasn't even an acquaintance. Still, it seemed wrong to tell him if she hadn't. And yet, she remembered seeing him at breakfast this morning and how he could care about others. She was his house mate. She obviously needed support right now. If he knew, would it help? She didn't know if this was the right thing to do. She didn't even know why she should care. "No, I'm probably mistaken. Never mind." And then she left, quickly, before he realized he had just spoken to her without insulting or cursing her.

Ginny never thought her involvement in Millicent's life would ever go further than seeing her in the Hospital Wing that day. And she likely wouldn't have gotten involved, if it hadn't been for Charms the next day. Ginny had gotten there five minutes early, escaping the oppressive atmosphere of the Great Hall, only to find Astoria Greengrass red with rage, yelling at fellow Slytherin Liam Puckle. Both had apparently arrived early as well. "My sister is not a fool!" Liam laughed cruelly and glared at her. "Bulstrode's secret was found out for all to hear. A mudblood for a grandmother, appalling. If Daphne had any sense, she would have disavowed her friendship immediately."

Her surprise at hearing her hunch had been right was small. It had been the most likely cause after all. Instead, she found another emotion building. Ginny felt a spark of anger in her, and let it catch. This wasn't a death eater. This was someone who was a student, just like her. And this, for as strange as it was, was something she could do something about. "I wouldn't be talking if I were you Puckle. If your looks are anything to go by, there's bound to be a troll hidden in your family line." He spun around and tried to shoot a curse at Ginny, but she had been well prepared and threw up a shield charm with ease. The next blast he sent shattered her shield charm and she had to duck to avoid his jinx. She shot back at him, and found herself dueling, when suddenly both their wands flew out of their hands.

Enraged, Ginny turned to scream at whoever had disarmed her, only to have the yell die in her throat. Professor Flitwick was looking at both of them, their wands firmly in his hand. "We have not started the practical portion of our class yet. Though, your eagerness to practice charms is admirable, I do believe you mispronounced the charm horribly. Allow me to instruct you first, if you will." Ginny shared a look with Puckle and they both sat down quietly, understanding passing between them. Whatever anger they had for each other, it wasn't worth forcing Flitwick into giving them a detention. Gently floating their wands back to them, the Professor continued towards the front of the class and began his lecture.

Ginny tried her hardest to focus, and even managed to perform the charm by the end of class, yet she couldn't stop thinking about earlier. She didn't regret it. In fact, she was incredibly proud of herself. In any other house, having a muggleborn family member meant sympathy and quiet support. She hoped it was so in Slytherin house as well, though she knew it was unlikely.

As soon as Flitwick dismissed them, Ginny looked over to see Astoria making a bee line for her. She did not look happy. Ginny felt a wave of indignation, but before she could speak, Astoria had started in. "Never do that again, do you understand? It's bad enough what my sister is doing. If it gets around a Weasely is defending her choices, she'll be a complete outcast!" Ginny worked hard to control her tone. She didn't want to yell.

"I do what I think is right. And right now, your sister is doing what is right." Astoria sneered, almost looking as if she could spit. "No, what my sister is doing is stupid. And you'll make it worse." And with that, she spun around, walking out of the classroom. Ginny was left alone, shocked and angry. Was that really what Astoria thought? That Millicent should be abandoned by her friends just because her grandmother had been a muggleborn? She knew they were prejudiced, but that was just insane. Even taking into account their bigotry, Millicent was a halfblood at least. Her father was from an ancient, pureblood family for Merlin's sake!

The thoughts followed her into Dark Arts, where she found they were to practice a bone snapping curse on mice. She blinked back tears and sent a numbing spell to her animal, hoping fervently that it had worked. As the mouse's legs broke, she heard the squeak of panic and couldn't help it. She sobbed, and Amycus looked over to her and smiled. She wanted to vomit. He loved making them feel this way. She swore he got off at night at the thought of them crying.

At lunch, Ginny found she had no appetite. Her mouse's terrified eyes haunted her. Taking a long gulp of pumpkin juice, she tried to get her emotions under control. She would not start crying in the middle of the Great Hall. Hoping to distract herself, she looked around at the other students. It was the Slytherin table that her eyes landed on. Millicent and Daphne were sitting at the edge of their table, the rest of the House giving them a wide berth of space. Millicent looked like she had been crying all morning, and Daphne was glaring defensively around the Hall as if she expected an attack at any moment.

Scanning the table, she located Malfoy and tried to read him. He was speaking to Nott, not looking anywhere else. He didn't even glance at Millicent or Daphne and Ginny felt her heckles rise. He was ignoring it. Being a coward. She didn't care that they weren't friends. That he had no reason to listen to her. As loathe as she was to admit it, Astoria had been right. Her standing up for the two girls would only make things worse for them. But if Malfoy would do it, she was rather sure the rest of the house would follow.

"Weird to see isn't it?" Ginny turned around to face Neville and nodded. Throughout lunch, the gossip had trickled down and now nearly everyone knew. Millicent's grandmother had been born to muggle parents. Her family had kept the secret buried for decades, and if it hadn't been for the Ministry investigation, likely no one would have remembered. In the paper, her grandfather had managed to have his wife's maiden name printed instead of Jenkins, hoping to spare his family shame. Somehow it had gotten out though.

"Who knew Crabbe knew enough words to speak for so long?" Ginny blinked at him like he was crazy, and Neville furrowed his brow. "You haven't noticed? Crabbe's been puffing out his chest all day. Wouldn't shut up in Herbology this morning, going on and on about Millicent's dirty blood. It's enough to make you want to defend her." She looked back and realized what she hadn't before. Draco wasn't speaking to Nott to avoid Daphne and Millicent. He was doing it to avoid Crabbe, who seemed to be holding court next to him.

What in Merlin's name was going on over there? In what world was Crabbe someone people listened to? Turning around, Ginny let the conversation at Gryffindor table wash over her, never quite being able to get the Slytherins out of her mind, while also not knowing what to do. What she had told Astoria this morning was true. She did think Daphne was doing the right thing. And she did want to help. She just didn't know how.


	2. Friendship In The Darkness

**CHAPTER 2: Friendship In The Darkness**

Ginny sighed as she put her bag on her shoulder, resigning herself to another long day of class and avoiding detention. It was mid-November now, and nothing had changed in the last two weeks. She was still stuck down here at night, alone, and she felt as if she was fighting a dementor every day.

It looked to be like any other day, until she heard it. Crying. She stood there for a moment, knowing where she was. This was the dungeons. Whoever was crying was a Slytherin. And then she decided it didn't matter. Walking through the passageway led by her lumos, she found the source and gasped. Millicent was sitting there, sobbing, blood seeping from her forehead. Ginny didn't think. She didn't need to. Landing on her knees, she grabbed Millicent's chin to get a good look at her face, and then she began healing. Her wand stitched up the cut as it went, and it wasn't until she was done that she realized the cut made an m.

Millicent just looked at her and sniffed. Her eyes were still wet and her voice came out as a whisper. "Millie the Mudblood. That's what it's for." Ginny found her own eyes tearing and searched her satchel desperately for something to transfigure. Finding a sheet of parchment she had intended to use for note taking today, she turned it into a handkerchief and handed it to the girl in front of her. She took it and Ginny waited as she pulled herself together. "Who was it?" Millicent looked at her, and then shook her head. "I should go." Ginny grabbed her arm and pressed down. Millicent didn't even resist. She slumped back down to the ground and began crying again.

This wasn't right. Ginny didn't know what to do. Any other year, she would have gone to a professor. But this year, who knew what they could do. With a death eater as a Headmaster, who was to say he wouldn't approve of this? "I'm no Madame Pomphrey, but it looked like a simple cut. It should heal soon. We can get some no scar cream just to be sure." Ginny watched her shake her head and felt her own heart constrict. And she thought she was having a bad year.

"They'll just do it again. They all listen to him now. I was so stupid." The only thing Ginny could focus on was that it had been a him. Her mind was churning, trying to figure out who it would have been. Her instinct was to charge right up to the Slytherin table, cursing any boy she laid eyes on. Of course, that wouldn't help anything even if it were possible. Except make her feel not so helpless.

"Does Daphne know?" Millicent looked at her with a pained expression. Ginny couldn't help it. She was curious. And involved. She was involved now. The time for not knowing what to do was over. She was going to help. She had to. If that meant running up to get Daphne Greengrass out of the Great Hall, she would do it. "Breakfast is still going on. I'll go get her." But before she could get up, Millicent was tugging her back down.

"No, please. I don't want to ruin her life too. Please." Ginny very slowly let herself be pulled back down, and sat. "What if he goes after her next?" Millicent shivered, and Ginny swallowed. Just what exactly, had he been doing to her? Whatever he had done, it had been more than carving an m on her forehead. The girl was in no shape to stand up for herself right now. Especially if her attacker was going to be sitting there, somewhere at the Slytherin table. Ginny knew she had made her decision without even really thinking about it. "Come on. We'll go get some food in the kitchens, and then, if you want, you can stay in my room for the day. Of course, you won't be able to leave until tomorrow morning. But if you want…"

The girl looked up at her in disbelief. "Really?" Ginny nodded and Millicent smiled slightly, before getting up. "Okay." Ginny felt herself panicking slightly as they made their way to the kitchens, but she knew this was more important. So what if she got a detention for missing class? She could do it. She could survive. Tickling the pear, she saw Millicent's eyes widen as the kitchen came into view. "This is amazing." Ginny nodded and looked for the nearest house elf. She had only been here twice herself.

Having found an elf that was all too happy to get them something to eat, the two girls sat at what would be the Ravenclaw table upstairs in an unspoken compromise. The entire kitchen was busy as house elves were clearing up the school's breakfast plates, but they gave their visitors a wide berth. Ginny let breakfast happen in silence at first, until she really couldn't keep quiet. "Is there anyone you can go to? Anyone that he would be intimidated by?" Millicent shrugged and Ginny couldn't help but grit her teeth in frustration. Who was this guy?

"Maybe Malfoy, but he hasn't been the same since last year." At first, Ginny thought Millicent had answered her unspoken question. She had been ready to run up and hunt Malfoy down, hexing him with all she had. Then what she actually said made its way through, and Ginny paused. It didn't escape her that Millicent had done nothing but confirm what Ginny had already known weeks ago. She knew Malfoy would be the one with the influence to fix this. And she hadn't done anything about it, knowing he thought nothing of her or what she would have to say. And look what had happened. Millicent had been attacked, bullied, and assaulted.

After eating, Ginny led Millicent to her room and opened the wall, telling her it was fine to borrow anything she needed. Clothes, a towel, whatever. Millicent could only whisper thanks, and Ginny hesitated. "Do you want me to stay?" Millicent's eyes widened and then she shook her head. "No, I probably need to sleep actually. Last night was, not restful." Ginny nodded, not quite feeling as if she could give the girl a hug even though the urge was there. Instead, Millicent climbed through the opening and Ginny walked up to her classes, wondering just how bad the fallout of missing transfiguration would be.

At lunch, she found out she had detention Friday night and tensed. She had expected it, but still. McGonagall had informed her of it with a look of sympathy, but her being absent all morning was not something even McGonagall could cover up on her behalf. She looked over to the Slytherin table and braced herself for what she was about to do. Pulling parchment out of her satchel, she scribbled a quick note and hoped it would be enough. Folding it, she disillusioned it before enchanting it to crawl and let it loose. A flying note would cause attention. A crawling note was safer. Of course, he would likely be alarmed at feeling some invisible thing crawl up his leg, but he was smart. Well, supposedly. He would figure it out.

In the meantime, she needed to contact another Slytherin and she really wanted to speak in person. Daphne Greengrass did not look well. In fact, she looked extremely uneasy and on the brink of a breakdown. Pansy and Tracey were on either side of her, acting like nothing was wrong. Ginny couldn't figure it out. She waited until the girls got up, and then followed them out of the Great Hall. They were heading to their next class, and neither Pansy nor Tracy looked like they were giving up their positions on either side of Daphne. She had to get her attention somehow. Feeling only a twinge of guilt, Ginny sent a small jinx, ripping the bottom of Daphne's satchel. Parchments and books thudded onto the stairs, and Pansy groaned. "Don't tell me you got some cheap satchel? What was it? A hand me down?" Daphne glared.

"It's top of the line, as well you know. Just go on without me. I'm not forcing you to stay." Pansy looked hesitant, and Ginny wondered if it had all been for nothing. And then students started to swarm out of the Great Hall. Tracy grimaced and pulled Pansy along. "Come on, we don't want to be seen as part of this mess." Ginny waited until Pansy and Tracy were out of sight before darting up the stairs. Daphne had already repaired her bag and was summoning all her materials back in, by the time Ginny reached her. "Greengrass." Daphne paused, and looked at her wearily. Ginny chose not to be insulted by her suspicion and just nodded. "I thought you ought to know, Millicent is fine. I spent the morning with her and she's sleeping safely."

Daphne's mouth dropped open, blinking rapidly. But she didn't speak. Instead, she grabbed Ginny's arm and hauled her into the nearest loo. Casting a quick muffilato, Daphne turned to her with wide eyes. "So she's still here? What do you mean safe? She's not in the dorms is she?" Ginny shook her head quickly, and she saw Daphne let out a long breath, and it was as if all the tension was melting out of her. Ginny could only stare.

"It isn't permanent of course. She'll have to come back to class tomorrow." Daphne's face paled again. Of course Millicent couldn't just stay missing. Hogwarts attendance was mandatory; it was the law. If they thought she wasn't here, they would go and arrest her parents before searching for her. "Who is it?" Daphne just looked at her and shook her head.

"Don't get involved Weasley. Your family is already being watched. As long as you keep your head down, you'll be fine. You're a pureblood at the end of the day, after all." And with that, Daphne was gone. Ginny stood in the loo for a moment longer to collect her thoughts. It was true. She was relatively safe compared to others as far as being targeted went. But she hated the idea of acting a certain way for no other reason than to keep herself safe. She just really needed Malfoy to show up tonight. If he did that, she would do the rest.

It was nearing the end of dinner and Ginny could scarcely breathe for nerves. Would he show up? If he did, what would she say exactly? Filch came to collect her as he did every night, and Ginny worked very hard not to look over to see if anyone else got up. They were down in the dungeons, nearing the wall that held her room, when suddenly Filch's grip on her arm went slack. Glancing over, she noticed the confused expression on his face and nearly laughed. He was here. He was here and he had done it.

"You delivered Weasely to her room once again, and you're now off to find your cat." She watched as the care taker nodded, mumbled about his cat, and then wandered off. She smiled slightly. "Thank you." He didn't smile back. Instead he stood there, wand clenched in his hand, arms crossed over his chest. "Wasn't doing you a favour. You said it was important?"

Ginny nodded, deciding being direct was the way to go. "There's someone in your house who is attacking girls, abusing them physically and mentally. Your beliefs might be messed up Malfoy, but I know your morals aren't that twisted." He glared. "You don't know anything about me, Weasely."

She plunged ahead, not worried about his remark. Of course he didn't think she knew him. He didn't know her. "But Harry does, at least a bit, and I trust him. You aren't a murderer and you aren't nearly as cruel as you'd like people to think. You're playing a scared game, and I get it. You're trying to survive. This isn't about that. I'm not asking you to go against your Lord or even a death eater. I'm just asking you to not abandon the people you've spent the last seven years with." His body tensed and Ginny worried he was about to walk away.

So she kept at it. "You know what he's doing is wrong Malfoy. You can't look at Millicent or Daphne in the hall. You pretend to not see them, but I know you do." Quicker than she could react, his hand lashed out and he shot at spell at her. It felt as if a bludger had flown right into her chest. It sent her flying back, slamming her into the wall, completely breathless. "You don't know what you're asking."

Ginny glared and worked hard to stand back up. "You're a death eater Malfoy! And you're scared of what? Some school bully? How can you be such a coward!" He shot another curse at her, and she felt her body go stiff. Body bind. "I don't have to explain myself to a blood traitor. It's called being smart. And if you have even a shred of intelligence, you will never, ever, insult me again." He lifted the hex and Ginny found herself glaring at him. She lifted her wand and Draco instantly raised a shield charm, but it didn't matter. She hadn't been about to hex him. Turning her wand on herself, she sliced open her hand and put it on the wall.

As she had intended, there was a moment of shock where Malfoy had to figure out what she had done. She used it to gather up all of her strength, and then she pushed him. Right into the door she had made. By the time he was up and yelling, Ginny was in the room as well and the door was quickly shutting. "What the hell did you do that for Weasely!" He had turned, his wand aimed at her and fire in his eyes. She worked to stay calm, ignoring her heart that was racing like a snitch. "Look at her Malfoy, and tell her to her face. Tell her that your safety is more important than her."

He stared at her as if she had gone barmy, but it didn't last for long. Glancing around the room he spotted Millicent on the bed, staring at him, her book forgotten. And then she watched his face crumple. "Millie." Ginny realized she had been more right than she thought. He really had been blocking her out. Because looking at her now, the pain on his face was unmistakable. "What's that on your…" Ginny watched him trail off, as he answered his own question. So, he hadn't seen it. Whoever it was must have done it in private.

They were still staring at each other and Ginny felt as if she shouldn't be there. So she wasn't. She mumbled something about changing, and grabbed her sleeping clothes, retreating to the bathroom. In past years she had worn a nightgown her mother had bought her to bed. This year though, she had taken the liberty of packing an old Chuddley Cannons shirt of Ron's to wear to bed. She didn't care if it seemed pathetic. It was one of the only things she had that could comfort her. He was out there somewhere, bound to be killed if found. Wearing something of his, something that had the smell of him and the Burrow in it, well it made her feel just that little bit warmer. The pajama pants were old ratty ones she had gotten as hand me downs. A small part of her was worried about letting two Slytherins see her in such a state, but she pushed the thought away. Who cared what they thought? They knew her family's financial status. She had never apologized for it, and she wasn't about to start now.

Coming back out, she found Draco and Millicent sitting next to each other on the edge of her bed, talking quietly. Still, it was a small room and there was no way to keep from overhearing. Unless she planned to live in the bathroom all night, which she did not. "Isn't there anything that'll make him stop?" That had been Millicent. Ginny found herself just as anxious to hear what Malfoy would say as the other girl.

"Maybe groveling? You hurt his pride, Millie. You know he's liked you for ages. And he thought this was his chance." She sobbed. "I know. I know." Ginny couldn't help it, She had to make sure she had heard that right. "Likes her? He's torturing her!" Draco glared at her, but she stood her ground. Obviously, Draco didn't understand what was happening. If he thought all of this was just a crush gone wrong, she really didn't know. How could he be so thick?

It was Millicent that answered. "Draco's right. It was my fault. I should have just done what he wanted. In class that day, when the paper came out, he sent me a note. He knew about my grandmother. He said he'd keep it secret but I had to do whatever he wanted. I panicked and had to be sent to the Hospital Wing in the middle of class. I was going to do it, what he wanted. But I just, I couldn't. He got mad. Told me I'd regret it. That he was powerful now, that he'd be a death eater soon. That I was an idiot. He was right. He told everyone the next morning and…" She wasn't speaking anymore, she couldn't. Sobs racked her body. Ginny had heard the subtext and she didn't know if she had ever been this mad.

He had blackmailed her. He had tried to force her into who knows what. She wanted to believe it had just been sex, but she honestly didn't know. He could have been demanding anything of her. But losing her temper was not an option right now. She still didn't have the full story. She reigned it in, and tried to keep a calm voice. "That hardly explains the whole house following his lead." Millicent looked at Draco, sending him a pleading glance. He nodded and took over.

"Hiding a muggleborn relative is not exactly abiding by the new Ministry's laws. By doing so, her family has put a target on their back. No doubt her grandfather has been having a very rough time. And associating with a family that's been, well, marked, is not very strategic. And then, Crabbe very obviously wants that person punished, so it's the easiest path." Ginny almost choked. "Crabbe?"

Draco's eyes narrowed and then he cursed. "You didn't know. She hadn't told you." Ginny shook her head and felt her chest constrict even more. Millicent took over. "He's different this year. He tortures people for fun sometimes. And his spells are getting really powerful." She watched Draco nod in confirmation, and had to take a moment to process it. "You, Draco Malfoy, are scared to take on Crabbe? As in the boy who followed you around like a dog for years?" Draco's lip twitched, but only slightly.

"Keeping with that, he's got a new master Weasley. And he's been growing. Big, powerful, still not particularly clever. But he has the brute strength. And Millie's right, his spells do too." Ginny sighed, and fell into her desk chair.

"Alright, so let's think. What are his weaknesses?" Millicent and Draco were both looking at her as if she was mad. She rolled her eyes. "You cannot tell me he has no weaknesses." This was just ridiculous. There was no way the three of them could not figure out a way to take on Crabbe of all people. It was Draco that eventually answered. "Weasley, what are you doing? None of this has anything to do with you." She felt herself sit up straighter and thrust her chest out slightly.

"I'm doing what I always do. Fighting injustice, and helping those who need it. Of course this has to do with me. Do you think I can just sit back and watch someone get treated like this? I promise I won't tell your story, it's yours to share with who you choose, but I know at least half the school would stand by you Millicent. If they knew what was happening, they would never stand for it." Draco scoffed and Millicent looked at her with pity.

"Thanks, but that's not really true is it? I can't imagine most of your friends actually agree with how things are going. And yet, you don't speak out. You sit in classes just like the rest of us and do what you're told. Doesn't your father work for the Ministry? He's been going in and doing his job quietly every day, hasn't he?" Ginny flushed and felt the familiar shame that came with being here instead of out with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "Vince is probably months away from being a death eater. Who would want to cross him unless they had to?"

Ginny could see Millicent's point. In fact, she saw it much more than she wanted to. The truth was she and her friends weren't in open rebellion. They were trying to survive this, as much as anyone else. Still, that didn't mean she couldn't try to do something. Bringing down Crabbe, it was something she felt could be done. If only she could think more clearly.

Sitting there, she tried to think through all the new information she had. Crabbe's posturing must mean that he was trying very hard to convince everyone he was important now. The real question was how successful he had been. "What is Goyle doing?" The question seemed to take Draco aback, but he gave it serious thought before shrugging. "Pleases everyone I guess. He still hangs around me, but will also listen to Vince when he's talking." Ginny felt a small spark of excitement.

"That's good. And I would bet galleons that Crabbe has picked up on it. They still look to you out of habit, no matter what he does. That must be why he still sits next to you at meals. He knows people are used to giving you attention, so it's easy to redirect their attention if he's next to you." She could tell she had Malfoy's full attention now. His eyes were darting back and forth as he thought about what she had just said. Ginny waited patiently. "I hadn't thought of that…"

Millicent took the opportunity to chime in. "Of course people still look to you Draco. Your family is still the most powerful family out there, even if they're temporarily out of favor. Who knows when their fortunes will turn, but everyone knows that if they do it's your aunt that has the Dark Lord's…" Draco gave a smirk and spoke in an even tone. "Love. Yeah, whatever that means to him." Millicent blushed slightly and Ginny felt ready to sick up. That was disgusting. She knew Bellatrix had been mad, but love? She shivered just thinking about it.

"Well, anyway. Your father outranks Vince's. Your family is still the wealthiest in England. Everyone knows they have hands in everything, from the Board of Governors to the Wizengamount. You suddenly being quieter has actually just sparked rumours that you've matured and have bigger responsibilities now. Not to mention…" Ginny caught Millicent look covertly at his left forearm and rolled her eyes.

"A death eater, yes Millicent I know what he is. No need for secrecy. And for the record, I agree. They still look up to you Malfoy. You're still impressive, given what they care about. Not that I agree that's _why_ someone ought to be looked up to of course." She stopped as she saw him roll his eyes, and reminded herself she was getting off track. This was about helping Millicent. "And so, I have a plan."

Her stomach was in knots, and she desperately wished she could think of something else. But she couldn't. And the hope on Millicent's face was worth any risk she was about to take. "If Crabbe can take you down a peg, he'll do it. He knows he needs to lower their esteem for you if he plans to increase their esteem for him." Draco had tensed. She couldn't blame him. "And just what exactly, will Vince be able to use against me in this plan of yours?"

This was the worst part. He would likely yell, possibly curse her, she wasn't really sure. She knew it wouldn't be good though. "Well, to take his focus off of Millicent, it makes sense to divert his attention to another girl. Of course, I would never endanger anyone else. So that will be me." They were both staring at her in shock. "You're going to seduce Vince?"

Ginny blushed at the doubt in Malfoy's voice and tried to keep moving forward. "I know he would not normally go for me, thanks. But I think he would if he could see it as a win over you." She watched his eyes narrow into slits as he stared at her. "No." Ginny nodded and rushed to speak before he could expound upon his objection.

"I know it's a little risky. But I really think it might work. If Crabbe thinks you're interested in me, and then I show interest in him, he won't be able to help himself. He'll see it as a win over you. Especially if it's public knowledge that you wanted me and I chose him over you." Millicent smiled and actually squealed slightly. "I can't believe it, but I think you're right. I think it would work." Ginny beamed and Millicent beamed back. Draco did not.

"Sorry, let's back up. How exactly is my supposed attraction to a Weasely going to become public knowledge?" Ginny shrugged and looked to Millicent for help. "Ask her out at lunch? Compliment her in the halls between classes? It's not hard Draco." He glared at both of them, before getting off the bed and pacing. "Assuming I agree to this. And if I do, it is only for Millie's sake, and the fact that I didn't stop Vince earlier. How exactly am I supposed to explain why I am going after you? A known blood traitor, a Gryffindor, and an impoverished Weasely? No one is going to believe it. Vince will not believe it. He won't need to win you away from me Weasley. He will only have to talk about how I like you for my house to lose all respect for me."

She stared at him, trying very hard to suppress all of her indignation. As much as she hated to acknowledge that it would seem odd for Malfoy to like someone like her, he was right. It would only work if people thought she had changed. Which was impossible really. She didn't have months to make a personality change convincing. Ideally, this plan would start as soon as tomorrow. And then she realized with a jolt that there was another way. It was war time and they were teenagers. This would never be her choice in real life, but her friends wouldn't necessarily know that. Sex wasn't something they talked about, and no one could say for sure what her choices about it would be.

"You're right, no one would believe you wanted me for my personality, friends, thoughts. But using me for sex? They won't lose respect for you for that. It'd probably actually increase their respect for you." Draco very nearly had lost all his composure as soon as the word sex had come out of her mouth, and was just now regaining it. "Come again?"

She couldn't help but smile at his discomfort. "Sex, Malfoy. It will be only physical. We use each other for physical release, but can't stand each other. People will still be shocked of course, but they'll believe it."

"They'll think you're a slut." Ginny looked over to Millicent and shrugged. "Probably. But that's okay. It will make Crabbe more likely to believe me when I start coming on to him. He'll think I just like sleeping with the enemy or something like that. Maybe I have a kink for it. Who knows? Not Crabbe." Draco was looking at her as if he had never seen her before. If she let herself, she would be embarrassed beyond belief. But she knew she had done it. This was going to be how they distracted Crabbe. Really, it would distract everyone for a bit. Gossip like the type they were about to make would be the juiciest gossip of the year.

She decided to keep talking in the hopes that it would distract them from what she had just proposed. She really didn't want to think about it in too much detail herself, especially when Malfoy was right there. "So, about the bed situation. I hadn't really planned to trap you in here with us Malfoy, but I suppose we'll have to make do. Who wants the middle?"

In the end, they had managed an extension charm on the bed that let them all rest comfortably with minimum danger of touching. Millicent had already changed into a pair of Ginny's shorts and T-shirt earlier in the day, so she was set for bed. The girls had both stared at Draco at a loss for a bit, before he blushed and burrowed under the covers of the bed. His upper body reemerged with his shirt and trousers in hand, throwing them to the side. Ginny and Millicent gave each other a wide eyed look before deciding not talking about it was best. The top half of Draco's bare chest was visible, and all of them were uncomfortably aware that under the blankets he had nothing but his smallclothes on.

And yet, they all needed sleep. Both girls slipped into a side of the bed, leaving Malfoy in the middle. Spelling the lights off, Ginny could hardly believe the situation she was currently in. She had done it to herself, and there was really no one else to blame. And yet she knew that if anyone could see her now, they would think she had completely lost it. Oh well. War made for strange bedfellows she supposed.


	3. The Rumour Mill

**CHAPTER 3: The Rumour Mill**

Waking up was an odd experience to put it lightly. Ginny was the first up, and spent a good minute simply staring at the two Slytherins she had in her bed. She didn't mind Millicent being there. Having a sleep over with another girl, it was more normal. Having a boy nearly naked sleeping next to her was not. In many ways last night felt like a dream, or some sort of out-of-body experience. And instead of it being gone upon waking up, she found it was still happening.

Quietly, she slipped out of bed and grabbed her school clothes to change. Coming out freshly showered and dressed, she let Millicent go in next. Draco glanced at her and Ginny found herself frozen in place. The look he was giving her, he was nervous. That couldn't be good. "Don't turn around or close your eyes. If this plan of yours is going to work, we're going to need to get really good at being comfortable around each other." Ginny gulped and nodded. "I mean it Weasely, I'm not planning to look like I'm forcing you." She nodded again and he took a deep breath before getting out of bed.

Ginny knew her face was on fire. She could be honest. He didn't look bad. With the exception of the ugly dark mark marring his arm of course. His legs had defined muscles, covered in fine blond hairs. His torso was flat, his muscles small but noticeable on his arms. She could tell just by looking at him that he was stronger than her. He would be able to throw her against a wall and kiss her if he wanted. At some point, she had figured out that their public displays were going to have to be slightly violent. She was going to have to trust him to pull her around, push her against surfaces. She was terrified. And yet, a small part of her wasn't. She chose not to think about that other emotion that was swirling around in her.

Of course, it wasn't a full show. His most private area was well covered. She couldn't help but look down though, curious to see if there was an outline. She would never admit it of course, but she wouldn't have minded if there was. His trousers were back up and he was buckling his belt before she could get a good look though. "Malfoy?" He looked up at that and Ginny found she couldn't say it. Not now. Not with Millicent still here. "Hang back before heading to breakfast?" He nodded and she let out a breath, deciding to distract herself by packing her satchel. Her nerves were jumping, her face felt hot, and she tried very hard to remember that she was a Gryffindor; brave and all that. Ten minutes later, the wall opened and they all piled out of her room, ready to face the day. Or, in theory at least. Millicent gave them both a small smile, before nervously making her way down the hallway. Ginny knew she was terrified of running into Crabbe, but she hoped Draco and herself would be able to offer enough of a distraction that Crabbe would forget about her very soon.

Alone with him, Ginny found her stomach had clenched uncomfortably. "You know Weasley, the whole point of this plan of yours is that we have an audience when we're together." Ginny nodded and tried to keep a steady voice. "I know. But if you want it to look, eager, on both of our ends, we should try it out here first. Just in case." He glared at her and snapped his retort. "In case of what?" She straightened her back and made sure to look him in the eye. He was not going to intimidate her. "In case I freeze up. In case I can't hide my disgust." Malfoy looked at her for a moment, and then suddenly he shoved her against the nearest wall. She shrieked in surprise, but refrained from retaliating. He was right, this needed to happen. If he was going to be the one to initiate it, well at least that meant she didn't have to. He was gripping her wrists and his torso was pressing down on her own. She was acutely aware of her breasts touching his chest and found herself flushing.

"Be honest Weasely; does this disgust you, or does it turn you on?" Ginny knew the answer, but she would be damned before she admitted it. "What I feel doesn't matter. What matters is what others see. You're right, this is about having an audience. And what better way to start rumours than a hickey? The Great Hall has been made impervious to glamour charms this year. It will be a perfect way to get attention." Not to mention, it wouldn't require actual intimacy or having to kiss Malfoy in front of the entire school. He stared at her for a moment and then nodded. "Alright." At his agreement, Ginny found herself tensing and her heart beat quickening. She opened her mouth in order to say, well she wasn't sure what, but Malfoy spoke over her anyhow.

"Overthinking this isn't going to help Weasley. Just jump." And with that, he latched onto her collarbone and Ginny felt a deliciously warm and hot mouth sucking at her in a way she had never experienced. She had kissed boys before. She had made out with Michael, Dean, and Harry. None of them had been aiming to leave hickeys though. She found she could do nothing but gasp and, to her mortification, moan as Malfoy worked his way up her neck, sucking hard in order to produce marks that would be visible to all. It was painful, particularly as he sucked at the point right under her jaw, but she found she didn't mind nearly as much as she should. Instead of pulling away at the pain, she found herself pressing closer towards him. Her arms had circled around him long ago, and she found herself lifting her legs to wrap around his waist. For him to get a good angle, he had put her up on her tiptoes and she found her new position much more comfortable. His arms were securely around her waist and Ginny realized this was not nearly as uncomfortable as she thought it'd be. His arms holding her, his breath so close to her ear, his stubble rubbing against her cheek, it was all working wonderfully to mess with her mind. And instead of fighting it, she went with it.

He let go of her neck and stared at her for a second, before Ginny leaned forward and caught his lips with hers. She felt lighter than air. She felt crazy. She was kissing a death eater. And she didn't want to stop. They did though, and Ginny put her legs back on the ground, waiting for her thoughts to catch up with her. Jump indeed. She had just jumped into madness. There was no practical reason to have kissed him, but he hadn't seemed to mind. He smirked down at her and she blushed. "Well, if anyone ever wondered what side I go for..." She glanced over at him and smiled slightly. "That conceited are we?." Ginny was well aware a number of girls had probably fantasized about the man in front of her. That didn't mean his ego needed to know that though. His eyes glinted and he smiled slightly. "Jealous are we?" Ginny picked up her satchel and huffed. "Not bloody likely." He laughed, and Ginny found herself smiling in spite of herself, not daring to look back. Arrogant prick.

They walked up to the Great Hall together, and any positive feelings Ginny had were gone by the time they reached the top of the stairs. Her body was like a tightly coiled spring, ready to explode in a nervous breakdown. What were they doing? This was it. None of her friends would ever look at her the same way again. She was about to completely destroy her reputation. Malfoy's would likely benefit from this. Hers would not. She felt Draco's breath by her ear and tensed. "Don't stop now Weasely. Don't let your efforts be for nothing."

And strangely, that was just what she needed to hear. She was doing this for Millicent. She was finally, after months of doing nothing, able to do something that helped someone. She couldn't chicken out now. Taking a deep breath, she walked forward, feeling Draco right beside her. Breakfast was almost over. Everyone would already be seated, having eaten and preparing to go. Their entrance would be obvious and she knew as soon as people took in the state of both of them, every eye would be on them. Opening the doors, Ginny's first thought was it wasn't nearly as bad as she thought. A few glanced their way, but there were no screams of horror. No shouting. She let out the breath she had been holding and began to walk. And that's when she heard it. People were whispering, turning to look at her, and she found herself nearly running to her seat. Finally reaching it, she plopped down and grabbed a piece of toast, staring down as she buttered it. "Um, Ginny?" She looked at her toast and realized her hands were shaking. When had she ever been so nervous that she couldn't stop shaking? She couldn't remember.

Looking up, she found herself staring at Neville, his eyes wide as saucers. Lavender was leaning over, gasping at the sight that was undoubtedly her neck. Down the table a little further, she could see others staring and shoved her toast in her mouth. "Are those…" Ginny stared Neville down until he looked away blushing. She reached for bacon and wondered who was going to be brave and ask what Neville couldn't. "Blimey Gin! Who's the lucky bloke?" She couldn't help but smile. Leave it to Seamus. "Don't know what you're talking about Finnegan."

His eyes traveled up and down her, and then raised his eyebrow. "Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but someone has thoroughly snogged you." She could just leave it at that. But she knew that it would catch much more attention if she didn't just leave it. And attention was what this was all about right now. "Just snogged hmm? Interesting. Could have sworn there was more." And then knowing her face was soon to resemble a beet, she grabbed an apple and jumped out of her seat to head to her first class. She couldn't bear to look back, but she was rather sure there was a group of shocked faces surrounding the seat she had just abandoned.

She had entered the dungeon hoping for a few moments of solitude, but it was too late. Despite having a five minute breakfast this morning, they had been so late that classes started soon. There was already four other students here, and Ginny had to resist readjusting her tie to try and hide her neck. She had Malfoy's marks all over her neck, proclaiming her as his. And she honestly had no idea how to feel about it. Overall though, Potions went better than she could have ever expected. At the NEWT level, it was a combined class of all four houses, meaning Ginny was able to pair up with Luna and brew in relative peace. Luna had made some passing comment about Ginny looking like she had been attacked by Wackspurts, but that had been the only reference to her neck.

Maybe she had been nervous over nothing. Maybe everything wasn't about to spin out of control like she feared. It was in Ancient Runes that her short-lived delusion shattered. It didn't start out too badly. A few minutes into class, a note had flown at her, attacking her head until she opened it. Slut. Well, that wasn't so bad. If all she had to worry about was notes, she thought she'd be okay. And then Professor Babbling told them the classwork today would be partner work. Before she could get up to try and find a partner, Oliver Knotting was there, inserting himself next to her.

"Looking for a partner Ginny?" She didn't know Oliver terribly well, but she nodded anyhow. He was a Ravenclaw and decently smart. For the first five minutes everything had gone normally. And then he glanced over at her and whispered. "You know, others might not approve of what you're doing. But I got to say, I see the benefits. A relationship is too much stress at a time like this. Doesn't mean we can't enjoy the fun bits though. If you ever want, feel free to let me know."

So he had done it. Of course he had. Draco Malfoy was nothing if not a show off. While she had barely managed to make one suggestive comment, he had made enough lewd comments that people were already thinking she was a whore. Merlin, was he impressive. He couldn't have had more than fifteen minutes at breakfast this morning. She felt an odd surge of pride, and then remembered what Oliver had said. Ginny tensed and then forced herself to smile. "Thanks, but I don't think he shares."

And just like that, he was suddenly no longer the friendly partner. His entire demeanor turned icy, and glared at her. "So what? You're his plaything?" Her entire body flushed and she went to reach for her wand without even thinking. Before she could shoot her hex though, his hand was there grasping her wrist tightly. "Drop it, now." She didn't have a choice. It clattered to the ground and he looked down at her in disdain. "You translate the rest of this paper. I'll take this one. Assuming you're capable of it? I have heard giving your body away normally means a lack of brains." Ginny fumed and snatched the paper he had told her to do and tried to block out everything else. She was infuriated with herself when the runes began to go blurry. She was not going to cry. Especially over some stupid comment an idiot boy had made. A boy she barely knew and had no respect for. It had been a long class.

She all but raced to lunch, needing to be surrounded by fellow Gryffindors. Unfortunately, it wasn't quite the usual reception. "It's not true is it?" Ginny looked over at Parvarti and snapped. She was not in the mood for vague comments. "Depends. What exactly is _it_?" Parvarti exchanged a look with Lavender, but it was Neville who answered to the shock of all. "Of course it's not true. There's a stupid rumour going around that you've been, uh, messing around with Malfoy." Ginny felt her chest constrict and remembered it was for a good cause.

"Oh that. It's not stupid. In fact..." Ginny paused as she watched Neville go from confused to full of anger. Ginny was slightly shocked at the transformation, but then realized the glare was not directed at her. Instead, he was looking behind her shoulder. She turned around and felt her own anger settle in. Carrow had just walked in, grinning widely. "That can't be good." Ginny agreed, but was secretly pleased at the reminder that whatever her personal life looked like, they would at least be united in their hatred of the Carrows.

They both watched as Alecto jabbered animatedly with Snape. As usual, Snape kept a neutral expression that they could not interpret. But he did nod, and Alecto walked over to her seat even more pleased than when she had come in. "What do you think that was about?" Ginny shared a worried look with her friends, and they all slowly ate as they contemplated the possibilities.

Lunch was soon over, and Ginny was relieved to realize she had managed to avoid the topic of Malfoy. She only had Herbology left and then she would be free to do homework until dinner. She walked into the greenhouse and was immediately called over by Professor Sprout, who seemed rather serious. Ginny went, horribly curious and slightly apprehensive. What did the professor need to tell her in private like this? Class started in two minutes, and people were quickly filing in.

Professor Sprout gave her a reproving look, before forcing a vial into her hand. "I'm not your mother Ms. Weasley and I will refrain from a lecture. If you insist on making a poor decision though, at least drink this beforehand. One sip will suffice." Ginny's entire face was flushed as she slipped it into her robe pocket and made her way back to her seat. She had a sinking suspicion she knew what the Professor had just handed her. The gossip must really be pervasive if even her Herbology professor had heard it this morning. She realized that a professor thinking that of her was more embarrassing than anything a student could have said. Could this day get any worse?

Walking out of Herbology, she found the answer was yes. Somehow, Pansy and Tracy had figured out the sixth year schedule and were waiting for her. "Weasley!" Ginny stopped and gripped her wand in her pocket. What in the world could these two want? They never spoke to her. "The rumours are out of control and we need a straight answer from you. You better hope it's the answer we want to hear. Have you been bothering Draco with your filthy presence?" Ginny narrowed her eyes and lifted her chin up. She realized that this was the upside to the change in the plan. She didn't have to fake feelings for Malfoy. And she didn't plan to. She would tell the truth and show her backbone. This idea people had that she was suddenly available for insulting and bullying had to stop.

"First off, there is nothing about me that is filthy. Cheap, maybe. Filthy, no. Secondly, Malfoy is anything but bothered by me. If you're asking if we talk? No. We don't. He's a bigot and a coward, and I hate him. So you can rest easy. I'm not stealing him from you. If you're asking if we fuck? Ask him." And then she waked off, any embarrassment clouded by anger. Since when did everyone think they could stick their noses in her business like that? Maybe she should start shooting some bat boogey hexes. And then she was on the ground, her satchel an absolute mess in front of her. If she could move, she would have hit them. Knocked them square in the jaw. Hitting her from behind. It was a coward's move.

"He would never do that, you foul little blood traitor. Unlike some, he has taste. Tell the truth. Who were those hickeys from?" Ginny waited for them to realize she couldn't talk. It took them longer than it should have, but they released the spell once they did. Ginny didn't waste a second. Jumping up, she cast two bat boogey hexes and then ran, snatching her satchel up as she went. Entering the castle, she continued to run all the way to the library, only pausing for breath as the entrance came into sight. Sitting down, she pulled out her Transfiguration book and forced herself to focus on the assignment. She wouldn't think of them. She wouldn't think of the vial she could still feel in her robe pocket. She knew it would be bad. This was just the worst of it. It would pass. People would get over the disbelief and shock and then she could move forward with Crabbe.

Almost two hours later, she tucked all her materials back into her bag and prepared herself to go back out into the school. All she had to get through was dinner. Walking down the stairs, she spotted the 7th year Slytherins coming back from Muggle Studies and forced herself to keep walking. She was not scared of them. Still, she might as well know what she was walking into. It appeared the girls, minus Millicent, were all busy pestering Malfoy about something, while the boys looked on with smirks. She had three guesses what they could be talking about. Continuing on, stubbornly refusing to change her path because of them, she thought she'd just pass them. Instead, she panicked as a strong hand gripped her upper arm and yanked her in. "Still hate me?" She found herself staring into Malfoy's eyes. They were a stormy grey and an angry frown dominated his face. Her heart was in her throat. "Always."

"Good." And then with no more warning, he grabbed the back of her head and pulled her into a rough, brutal kiss. Shocked, Ginny let his tongue plunge into her mouth, where it proceeded to try and hit every crevice she had. She could hear the shrieks now, but she kept her eyes closed and clutched his shirt as his hands slid under her shirt, moving up and down on her bare back. She couldn't explain the feeling to herself or anyone else. But pressed into him like this, she trusted he wasn't going to let her get hurt. Not while being held by him at least. All bets were off once their bodies separated, but for now she wasn't worried. He pulled back and she reluctantly opened her eyes, staring at him and trying to block out everyone else. "Room. Now." And then he was dragging her up the stairs by her hand, taking her down a corridor on the second floor as the voices all disappeared.

Out of sight of anyone now, he stopped and looked back at her, dropping her hand in the process. Ginny couldn't help but feel a small twinge of disappointment. Which was ridiculous of course. He ran his hands over his face and slumped onto the ground. "This has been a bloody long day." Ginny nodded and Malfoy sighed. "Well, at least no one will ask if the rumours are true tomorrow. If that little display doesn't convince them we're off fucking somewhere, nothing will." Ginny had to agree.

Realizing they would be here a while, Ginny slid down along the opposite wall and tried to get comfortable. "Well, at least Professor Sprout didn't sneak you birth control, convinced you were a fallen woman." Draco looked at her with a shocked expression before laughing. "Did she really? Wouldn't have thought it of the old bat." Ginny smiled slightly, able to see the humor in it now. "So I know why my day was long; being slut shamed and propositioned. What happened to you?"

Malfoy looked at her as if she had grown a third head before shaking his own in resignation. "I will never understand why you did this to yourself." And then he narrowed his eyes as he came to some realization. "If this is going to work, people can't think you're sleeping around. Vince has to think he's stealing you from me, not just sharing." Ginny felt her face flush and crossed her arms. "Yes, I know. My response was you didn't share. He got less friendly after that. Trust me Malfoy, I have no intention of leading anyone on other than Crabbe." His eyes hardened at that, but Ginny didn't comment. She also did not like thinking about that part of their plan.

They both sat in silence for a little longer before Ginny realized he had avoided her earlier question. "So, did your group have anything to say about this?" He flicked a glance at her and then shrugged. "The girls seem determined to make me say it was all lies, that I would never touch you. They want me to admit that I'd just been having a laugh at breakfast. Other than that, no." Ginny wasn't surprised. "Makes sense. Most of the school is too intimidated by you to ever approach you. Although, you might get some of the seventh year Gryffindors' ire tomorrow. I don't think any of them believed the rumours today. Tomorrow will be a different story."

As she said it, she realized the truth in it. Her friends were going to be much harder to deal with after this. Putting off the inevitable had never really been her style though. She might as well go down and face it now. "Do you think we can go to dinner now? How long does sex normally take?" At that, his back straightened. "Right. You're not going down like that. Get up Weasley. If you want dinner, you're going down there looking ravished."

Her heart was beating quickly again, and she found a smile trying to break through. She shouldn't be happy at those words. He was doing it for appearances sake. He was using her to enhance his own reputation as a lover. She knew all this. And yet, she was still excited. He walked over to her and loosened her tie, popped her top button open, and then grabbed her head with both hands. Tangling her hair as he took her lips in his. She snogged him back, gripping his shirt and yanking. Clothes untucked and wrinkled, they stood there kissing until they both felt sure their lips must be swollen and their faces flushed. Ginny basked in it. His lips were soft and smooth, his tongue in and out as he played with hers. He sucked on her lip, biting lightly. It was wet, but never messy. Intense, but somehow playful. Breaking apart, they both stood there breathing heavily for a moment before Draco took a step back. "Let's go Weasley."

They both walked quickly, in silence, and Ginny wondered what he was thinking. Had he realized what she had? That their plan was more believable than they had guessed? Kissing him took her away from everything. She wasn't empty or hopeless or depressed when she was with him. She was alive and aware, feelings she had almost forgotten were normal. Walking into the Great Hall tonight, it was everything she had expected this morning. It wasn't just students turning around to stare at them. Ginny could feel the disapproving glares of Professors, and kept her eyes averted, unable to meet them. Sitting in her normal seat, she looked around to find stony silence, and all attention on her.

Did they think they could cow her? She glared at them and sat up straighter, refusing to be intimidated. "Is there something you need to ask? If so, out with it." Lavender glanced back at the Slytherin table before refocusing on her. "How?" Ginny couldn't be mad at that question. It was what she would be asking herself. "How what? How do I stand him? I don't. You all know who I am, what I value. He has none of those traits. It's not a relationship and I don't like him. But what I'm doing, it helps me keep my sanity. Trust me, I'm still me."

Neville made a choked sound, and Seamus must be three shades of red. "Gin, if it's only… that, why not someone else?" Of course, it made sense. Of all the people in this school, why him? If she really had chosen him, she knew that attraction would have probably been a factor. He was fit and she knew she wasn't the only one to think so. But that wouldn't be enough for these boys. So she used the more thought out reason. The one that would make this insane choice sound perfectly logical.

"I don't want a relationship or feelings. Not now. I didn't think I could ever use someone like that. But I can with him, knowing he's using me too. Just leave it, okay?" And she was surprised to see that they seemed to. She could feel the unasked questions, but she was relieved to hear them switch to talking about Quidditch. She joined in and found dinner much more enjoyable than she could have predicted.

At least, until she glanced back at the Slytherin table and realized Millicent was sitting at the edge by herself. Of course, this had been a horrible day for her as well. Ginny wondered what she had come up with to excuse her absence yesterday. Looking further down, Ginny tried to take in the shift of dynamics. Daphne was seated between Tracy and Pansy, but she looked horribly unhappy and kept glancing down to where Millicent was. For her part, Millicent was ignoring the glances and eating as if nothing was wrong. Malfoy was actually speaking tonight, holding the older Slytherins' attention while Crabbe looked on unhappily from beside him.

She wasn't used to this. This horrible waiting, having to let things roll out slowly. She knew what the problem was, but the solution wouldn't come for weeks yet. And in the meantime, people were suffering. It was just like the war. People were suffering every day, and yet they were all sitting here, waiting for the solution. She knew whatever Harry, Ron and Hermione were doing had to be done first, but how long was it going to take? They had been gone for almost four months now. It felt like an eternity had passed.

Going into her room that night, Ginny realized that it felt emptier than ever. The bed's enlargement spell had worn off hours ago, and there was no evidence of last night other than the T-shirt and shorts Millicent had worn. She stared at her ceiling and wondered if Alecto's plan really had worked. In a lot of ways, it felt as if the divide between her friends and herself was growing. She knew they got their sense of purpose from the DA. It wasn't something they could talk about it public, and so Ginny really had no idea how any of it was going. And now, they no longer knew what she was doing either.

They would still stand by her, but she wondered how much of it was out of habit at this point. She worked on her homework a bit before going to bed, but she found herself unable to sleep. She knew why. Twice in one day she had made out with Draco Malfoy, and she had liked it. She really believed that she had come up with her plan because it was the only idea she had. And yet, would she still have suggested it if Malfoy didn't look the way he did? If she didn't find herself so physically attracted to him? There was no way for her to know. What she did know though, was she hoped that Malfoy liked it just as much, and that for the first time in what felt like ages, she was looking forward to tomorrow.


	4. Fight For It

**Chapter 4: Fight for It**

Climbing out of her room the next morning, she nearly tripped in surprise. She hadn't been expecting him to be waiting for her. Especially not looking so serious. "I need to know who hit on you yesterday."

Her shock at his statement smothered the anticipation she had felt when seeing him. "What? Why?" It had never occurred to her to tell him for a number of reasons. First and foremost, she didn't think he would care. Second, it would indicate that she expected someone else to help or sympathize. Which she did not. And third, it would show that he had gotten to her. Which she was not about to admit. He didn't answer and Ginny folded her arms across her chest. "Well if there's no reason, then I'm not telling."

His face scrunched up and he looked past her shoulder before acquiescing. "Fine. Last night Blaise, in front of others mind you, asked if I thought you'd give him a go. I said no. He got mad, said he'd heard you'd given some Ravenclaw head just yesterday. The problem is Weasley, if I don't do something about it, no one is going to believe I would care about you and Vince together."

Ginny wanted to scream. How dare he! How dare he spread such a malicious rumour. Any hesitation she had about giving Malfoy leave to hurt another student seemed to fly out the window. "Oliver. Oliver Knotting. He's a sixth year in Ravenclaw. Brown hair, about your height, and tan." Malfoy nodded and Ginny hurried after him, a part of her wanting to see just what Malfoy intended to do. It wasn't her proudest moment, but she didn't like lying to herself.

Going into the Great Hall, Ginny fully expected Malfoy to storm over to the Ravenclaw table. Instead, he briefly glanced over to it, and then went to sit calmly at his normal seat. Perturbed and confused, Ginny followed suit. At her table, she grabbed a piece of potato bread and glanced back over to the Slytherin table. He was eating and talking like nothing was wrong. Was he going to do anything? Was she supposed to do something? "Are you still good to meet on the Pitch tomorrow at 9?"

Ginny blinked and looked over at Janice and nodded. Quidditch was a bit of a joke this year, but they did their best. Ginny had handed over captainship to Janice, a fifth year chaser, sure she was going to be too busy with resurrecting the DA to do much. It had turned out for the best. Ginny would have been a horrible captain, being exiled to the dungeons every evening. Still, even with only being able to practice with them on weekends, she was by far the best flyer on the team. Not to mention the oldest. With Harry and Ron gone, there wasn't a single seventh year on the team, and she was the only sixth year. It was more than a little depressing. To the point that she had wondered if staying on the team was worth it. She could always fly by herself after all.

Still, people were talking to her which was a good sign. She ought to encourage it. Mustering up all the enthusiasm she could, she asked what drills were planned for tomorrow, asked Neville if he had a lot of 'homework' this weekend, alluding to the DA of course, and even poked fun at Seamus for having jam on his nose. It should have been natural, easy, but Ginny felt it taking a mental toll. She was sure they all felt it. Keeping up chatter like this was like fighting against the tide. At any moment, you expected the wave of despair to crash, leaving you stranded with your fears and worries.

It was almost with relief that Ginny got up to rush to her first class, knowing she'd have plenty of time to herself. Muggle Studies was not a class to chatter in. Nobody dared do anything but sit and take notes as Alecto Carrow was prone to snap and give detentions for any misdemeanor possible. Poor Mathilda had gotten a detention last week for coughing. As Carrow spoke about muggles living in their own trash, Ginny copied Carrow's statements verbatim. Her notes were copied right onto her homework, and in this way, Ginny didn't have to think about what was being said. It seemed the only way to get through it; the only way to distance herself from the assignments.

It was her only morning class, meaning a free period until lunch. Most sixth years spent the time doing homework, and for the first time since her exile to the dungeons, she had to as well. Normally she got all her work done at night, having nothing else to distract her, but the last two nights had been so strange, that she was actually a bit behind. Heading directly to the library, Ginny settled in.

She was halfway through a transfiguration essay when she found herself biting back a scream. She dropped her quill and grappled for her wand. The quill had transformed into a snake, and was now slithering across the table, aiming right for her. Transforming it back, she looked around the library and found her old dorm mate Lizzie glaring at her. Ginny glared back, but honestly she understood. Lizzie's aunt, Head of the Department of Magical Artifacts, had been acting strange since August. Lizzie was positive her aunt had been imperiused, and hated that there was nothing she could do. Ginny's liaison with Malfoy was bound to feel like a betrayal.

Ginny looked back down at her essay and refocused. She couldn't think like that. If she did, she would never be able to touch Malfoy again, much less kiss him. And she needed to if she was ever going to help Millicent. At least Hermione or Colin weren't here. She didn't know how she would be able to look her muggleborn friends in the eye if they were. No matter how reluctant of a death eater Malfoy was, there was no getting around the fact that he had spent years tormenting them, calling them mudbloods, telling them they were unworthy of magic.

She joined the flow of students headed to lunch and wondered if there was anything she could do about Lizzie. She knew just talking to her wouldn't work. Lizzie was likely to hex her if she tried. But maybe she could send her something. Could she use someone as an intermediary? Lost in thought, Ginny bumped into the person in front of her who had suddenly stopped. Looking around, she realized he wasn't the only one. It seemed the entire school had stopped in order to look at something.

Squeezing her way through, she felt her face pale as she processed what she was seeing. "What's wrong Hicks? You were eager enough to tell Davis about it earlier. So say it to my face!" Hicks was crying, suspended in the air, and it was Malfoy's wand holding him there. "Lost your voice have you? Let's see if this helps bring it back." Hicks screamed as Malfoy ended his levitation spell, only recasting it as Hicks was about to crash onto the floor. Malfoy was smirking and Ginny felt as if she was going to be sick. Hicks was shaken and pale. "Please! I didn't do anything. It was Oliver! He was the one who said it happened." And just like that, Malfoy let Hicks fall the rest of the way to the ground. He lay there, crumpled, but his sobbing was proof he was alive and relatively unharmed.

Malfoy turned around and Ginny had to move in order to see what he was looking at. It was Oliver. The Ravenclaw was trying to run through the crowd, but the press of people was slowing him down. Malfoy waited until Oliver had broken through the last group before attacking. "Stupefy!" Malfoy's curse hit him hard, sending him pitching forward and falling to the floor. Where were the professors? Looking around, Ginny realized she couldn't spot any of Malfoy's friends. They must have been sent out to create distractions or run interference. This had been planned. Premeditated and calculated.

"Knotting is it? I think I've heard that name before. Now where was it that I heard it? Oh yes, from my father. Someone in your family took out a loan to fund their potion research, didn't they? Do you know who granted them that loan?" Oliver shook his head and didn't even attempt to get up. Malfoy was towering over him, wand still pointed threateningly. "My father. And how do you repay me? By going after someone who you knew belonged to me."

Ginny ran forward as Oliver convulsed on the floor, her appetite for revenge completely gone. "Stop it!" Her voice carried through the hall and Malfoy turned to look at her, an uneasy expression in his eyes. And then his expression hardened. "Back off Weasely. Trust me, you don't want an audience watching when I deal with you." A part of her knew he was saying it for show, but a much larger part of her couldn't help but think he meant it. His words were cold and controlled, but his entire body radiated anger. She was frozen in place, her imagination going wild. Malfoy glanced back at Oliver who was watching them with wide eyes, and then turned back to her. If possible, his expression was colder than before.

"Or maybe an audience is just what you deserve. On your knees, now." Ginny blinked and tried desperately to figure out what he was doing. She took too long. Malfoy's wand whipped through the air and she felt herself fall to the floor. Her body ached with the force of it, but she wasted no time in trying to pick herself back up. She had made it to her hands and knees when she felt it. She screamed in pain as Malfoy yanked on her hair to pull her head up, putting her exactly in the position he had ordered. Her scalp throbbed and she began crying, realizing what he meant to do.

"I thought we had an agreement Weasley. As long as you're fucking me, you're not to so much as look at another man." He unbuckled his belt, and Ginny could hear people begin to try and shoot curses. They weren't reaching their mark. Malfoy's wand was now fully engaged in maintaining a protective shield, and it was holding. His free hand moved on to unzipping. She could barely breathe. She had never done anything but kissing and handholding. Dean had groped her chest a few times while making out, but she had never gotten anywhere near what Malfoy was about to make her do. She should be terrified of the idea, but she found the fact that they were in public was all she could think about. Her tears and panic were completely genuine. "I didn't do anything! I swear! He's lying." She could have sworn she saw Malfoy give her a relieved look, but it was gone so quickly she wasn't sure she hadn't imagined it.

"Legilimens." Ginny gasped as she felt Malfoy enter her thoughts, and then quickly realized he was stuck. He couldn't grab on to so much as an emotion. She did not know Occlumency, but it didn't matter. He didn't know Legilimency. "Hmm, interesting. Well, Knotting, anything to say for yourself?" Ginny blinked and tried to pay attention as Oliver broke down and admitted to starting the rumour, but she couldn't. All she could focus on was that it was over. Malfoy had left her kneeling there, shaken and pale. She tried to collect her thoughts and found she couldn't. Would he really have done it? She didn't know, and she realized she didn't want to know.

"What is the meaning of this!" Looking up, Ginny saw Professor McGonagall racing down the stairs, students parting quickly for her. Malfoy had put his wand away, but was still standing over Oliver who was lying on the floor, clutching his crotch in agony. Malfoy didn't answer, but instead looked over McGonagall's shoulder worriedly. And then he smirked.

"And what do we have here? Students standing around, blocking the halls. No doubt for some asinine reason." Every student had turned to stare at their Headmaster, a wave of fear rippling across the crowd. Snape's eyes gleamed. "Anyone not in the Great Hall in the next five minutes will forfeit their lunch and be spending their Friday evening in detention." Professor McGonagall looked up at Snape in irritation. "Headmaster, there has obviously been an incident of serious rule breaking. I assume you will be taking the responsible party into your office for an appropriate punishment?" Snape looked over the scene and lifted an eyebrow. "I see only the result of some physical brawling between boys. Based on the injured parties, it appears Knotting and Hicks had some form of disagreement." Professor McGonagall gaped at him, but knew better than to contradict him outright.

Other professors were heading down now, and Ginny saw older Slytherin students slip quietly into the crowd. "Well? You heard the Headmaster! Get going!" Amycus accompanied his shout with a crack of his wand, and the back of the crowd shrieked as they felt a sensation like a whip hit their backs. As one, the student body began making their way to the Great Hall. Ginny expected her friends to rush over to get her, but instead Malfoy grabbed her arm and pulled her back onto her feet. "I know this is a lot to ask Weasley, but you've got to show we're still together." She looked at him with wide eyes, and he stared back. The coldness was gone and she found his stare oddly comforting. He knew what he had done. He knew she probably hated him right now more than she ever had. But she knew he wasn't going to hurt her. Not now. All of this, hurting those boys and humiliating her, it had all been in order to make her plan work.

If she shoved him away, yelled at him, it would all be for nothing. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Neville and Seamus running towards her, wands out ready to blast Malfoy away from her. Turning back to Malfoy, she grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him into her. Her kiss was hard and demanding. Her hand started to undo his shirt buttons, while she let his hands travel down to grab her bum. Pulling back, she tried to focus only on him and not her friends who were standing stock still, staring at her in disbelief. "I believe Mr. Malfoy, you said something about not wanting an audience for what you were going to do to me? Well the audience is leaving. Why don't you show me just what you had in mind?" Pressed together as they were, Ginny felt her stomach do a flip. Malfoy was getting hard, and it was not nearly as alarming as it should have been.

"Lead the way." Ginny's nerves were going haywire, all too aware that his voice seemed to have lowered and deepened to a timbre that her body apparently very much enjoyed. Grabbing his hand, she led him right past where her friends were standing, and down the nearest corridor. Then, just in case they were still watching, she turned, shoved him against the wall, snogged him thoroughly, and then pulled him into the classroom before slamming the door shut. As soon as the door shut, she slid down the wall and began breathing deeply. What was she doing? Was this it? Had she truly gone around the bend?

"Weasley." Looking up, she decided she really must need a place in St. Mungos. By all rights, she should feel disgusted to be in his presence. She should hate him for what he did in the hall. She should want to curse him from head to toe. That would be the reaction of a sane person. Instead, she wanted him to tell her to get the fuck up, that he wasn't finished with her yet, and have him resume their previous activities. She must be an absolute nutter.

"Knotting is a bloody bastard. Once he realized what I planned to do to you, he was supposed to have jumped in and confessed. I didn't think he was going to let you get punished for his lie like that." Ginny should be mad, furious really. But she wasn't. Oliver had been scared shitless of Malfoy, and had no reason to stand up for her. "Yeah, well, he probably thought I deserved whatever I had coming to me. I had, after all, already given myself to you."

And honestly? She knew she had better get used to that attitude. The entire school had seen Malfoy fling her to the ground and she was still, as far as they knew, fucking him. Well, if she was going to suffer for it, she might as well deserve their scorn.

"What are you doing?" His voice was alarmed and his body was tense. Ginny felt a surge of annoyance. Surely he wasn't that dense. She had gotten up, walked over to him, taken his tie in her hand, and was now kissing his neck. If he couldn't figure it out from that, he was hopeless. She ignored his question and picked up where she had left off with his shirt buttons, eager to have him shirtless. His hands had come up to grip her arms, forcing her to stop. "What do you want?" She frowned and rubbed herself against him, hoping it would be enough.

What did she want? She wanted his body. She wanted to feel human touch, and recapture that feeling of only the present mattering. Not worrying about a war she couldn't stop, not worrying about friends and family she couldn't save. What was she waiting for anyway? Harry? He was likely going to die before all of this was over. Her loving him had done nothing but cause her pain. Whatever she did with Malfoy, it wouldn't really matter. One of them was going to end up dead eventually. School wasn't going to keep them safe forever. Who knew? Maybe it would even be him that killed her in a battle someday.

"I don't want to leave this room looking well snogged Malfoy. I want to look well fucked. You up for it?" He just stared at her and Ginny let out a cry of frustration before succumbing to tears as he made no move to loosen his grip on her arms. She didn't know why she was crying, but she couldn't stop. It wasn't that he had rejected her. In fact, all of her earlier lust had completely left her, leaving her feeling hollow and miserable. He let go of her arms, but she didn't move. She just stood there, sobbing, undoubtedly looking like a complete loon.

"Do you want some chocolate?" Ginny paused at the question and looked at him in shock, but he was serious. He had pulled a chocolate bar out of his bag, and was handing it to her. He also looked wary as if she was a wild manticore that was about to bite his arm off. Trying to regain her composure, she wiped her eyes and nodded. "Yeah, thanks." And then, because what did she have to lose, she asked for what she really wanted. "Would you just hold me?" She didn't really expect him to agree. Sneer maybe. Or remind her that he was a deatheater and deatheaters don't do hugs. But instead he transfigured three chairs into a couch and then sat down. "Come here then."

Not quite sure what her world had become, she sat nearly on top of him and buried her face in his neck, arms clinging to him, while he encircled her in his arms and held tight. "Rough morning, eh?" She couldn't help it. A smile broke out and she laughed into his chest. "Yeah, me too." And from his tone, Ginny realized he meant it. He sounded almost as drained as she was.

"Why do you have chocolate in your bag?" She was still speaking into his chest, not willing to give up the comfort she had found there. "Habit. I've had a sweet tooth for as long as I can remember." As he said it, Ginny found she had known that already. Especially when they were younger, his owl would swoop in with huge packages from home, often brimming with sweets. She had been jealous at the time, wishing her mum had the money to buy and send her candy.

Mum. She thought she might cry again. Instead, she tightened her hold on Malfoy and breathed in his scent. "You know Weasely, you're not at all like I expected." She snorted and rearranged herself so she was leaning up against him, but no longer clutching at him. She thought she'd be okay now. She didn't need Malfoy thinking she couldn't cope on her own. "That's okay. I'm not what _I _expected either." She felt his chest move as he swallowed a laugh. "Sorry?"

Sitting all the way up, she slipped out of his hold and wondered if she should keep it to herself. She had liked to think she had grown out of her shyness though. And what was he going to do? Make fun of her for it? Possibly. But the rest of the school probably already thought it. What was it to her if he did too? "I've worked hard to stop caring what other people think of me. As long as I know I'm doing the right thing, I don't mind what people say. Well, I try not to. I'm pretty sure wanting you to ravish me isn't the right thing, but I also don't know how it hurts anything. How it would change anything important. So I kind of don't care, and just want to go for it." He held himself very still, and she rolled her eyes. "Don't worry. I'm not that desperate that I'm going to force you if you can't stand the thought of it. You're not _that_ irresistible."

"And what of your virtue?" Ginny tensed and then sighed. He wasn't being malicious. It was a legitimate question. Of course he would consider it important. It was supposed to be important. "And who exactly am I supposed to marry that would care about my virtue after all of this? Besides, I'll likely not even live long enough to marry." Malfoy was staring at her. She could feel his gaze, but she couldn't look at him.

"Plan on dying soon, do you?" Her mouth thinned. That didn't even deserve a response. What did he think? That she wasn't all too aware of people who had already died? Did he think it was just the Dumbledores and Mad Eye Moodys of the world, those too powerful to not catch Voldermort's attention, that were bound to be killed?

"Of course I do. Half my family has almost died already." She had never said that thought out loud before. It had been bothering her more than she wanted to admit. But it was true. If things had gone just a bit differently, her father, Bill, George, and Ron would all be dead already. She looked over to Malfoy shifting uncomfortably and found herself annoyed. "Don't pretend you haven't had the same thought. Wasn't half of last year spent with you worrying that you'd be killed before your seventeenth birthday? There's no way that the terror of the Dark Lord killing you has disappeared." He was pale and Ginny knew she had shaken him. She might have gone too far.

She decided to backtrack. Put the focus back on her before he lost it. "Don't worry. I get it. I'm not accusing you of betraying him. He's terrifying, but you also can't help but get drawn in by him. You want his praise as much as you want him to forget you exist. At least, that's how I felt. I'm sure most death eaters feel the same, whether they realize it or not." He was staring at her as if she had admitted to drinking blood for breakfast. Terrified, yet insatiably curious. "What do you mean that's how you felt?"

Ginny stared at him, waiting for him to put the pieces together, but there was no recognition on his face. She glared. "I was almost killed by him when I was eleven if you remember. Left in the Chamber of Secrets to rot." That had taken him aback. In fact, by his expression, she realized it was new information to him. Of course she knew that the school hadn't been told about her being possessed by Tom. But surely his father had mentioned it. "What?" No. Apparently his father had not mentioned it. Oddly, it only made her angry. Had she not been worth mentioning? Had Lucius Malfoy felt nothing about attempting to murder her in order to bring back his Lord?

Suddenly, she needed Malfoy to know. She needed him to know how much shit everyone else dealt with, and that he wasn't the only one in danger. That being a bystander was probably more dangerous than being a death eater. That his parents' choices had ruined lives. "Your father gave me the Dark Lord's old diary when I was eleven. I hadn't even started Hogwarts yet, and knew nothing about dark magic. He pretended to be my friend at first, made me trust him. And then he possessed me, took over my mind. He made me let out that snake, kill chickens, write on the walls in blood. And then, when it was time, he had me walk down to the Chamber to die."

He stared at her and gaped. "Weasley, I don't…I didn't know. I'm sure my father didn't think it would kill you. You were only 11?" Ginny wanted to hit him, absolutely unsatisfied with his excuse for his father's actions. Instead, she funneled her anger into her voice and kept speaking. "Just like you didn't know that poisoned mead would kill Ron? Just stop, alright. Whether anyone wants me dead or not, it's still likely. That horrible snake Nagini almost killed my dad two years ago. My brother Bill was mauled by Greyback when you let him into the school. And George was almost killed by a death eater this summer. I'm not stupid. I know my number will be up soon. It might even be you that ends my life. But until then, I've got to do something. And if that something is as small as saving a girl from being abused, then fine. But it's not fun. It's hard and the only thing I can think to make this better is snogging you."

She had more to say, but she stopped as Malfoy had grabbed the back of her neck, forcing her to turn her head to stare at him. "So that's it then? You've decided you'd rather die than fight to live?" She furrowed her brow and tried to shake off his hand, but his grip didn't slacken. "What do you mean?" She knew the look he was giving her. The one that screamed impatience. The one you gave to someone being stupid and stubborn. The problem? She wasn't being stupid or stubborn.

"You're a pureblood. You're smart and attractive and good with a wand. All you'd have to do is distance yourself from your family. Get involved with a man that could keep you safe. There's no reason you have to die." She stared at him and spoke slowly. "I told you. I do what is right. No matter the cost." There was a beat of silence, and then he lost it. It was unexpected and frightening, and Ginny could only cower. He was standing now, shattering the desks and the chairs and the chalkboard with magic fueled by anger. He hadn't touched the couch though, and after everything else had been destroyed, he dropped his wand onto the ground and pushed her onto her back. Ginny lay on the couch staring at him with wide eyes, as he swung his legs over in order to straddle her.

She was certain he was going to speak. But he didn't. Instead he kissed her, tongue plunging into her mouth and caressing everything it touched. Stunned, she went to shake him off of her, but it was too late. His hands had captured her wrists and were holding them hostage above her head, while his legs had maneuvered themselves to hold hers down. She successfully twisted to free her mouth from his, but she may as well not have. He was kissing her neck gently, aware it was still bruised and tender from yesterday, and completely ignoring her as she tried to ask what that had been about. Fed up, she yelled "Draco!" but that only made him kiss her mouth once more in order to shut her up.

She knew she had asked for this. She had been the one to suggest it. Still, it was hard to just go with it. She had no idea why he had decided to do this, and she had no idea how far he was intending to go. "Finish taking my shirt off." It was a demand, issued in a low, husky voice. He had released her wrists in order to start undoing her shirt buttons. If she was going to stop this, now would be the time. She didn't. Instead, she unbuttoned his shirt and began running her hands up and down his chest as he finished with hers. She gasped as he undid her tie while kissing down her exposed torso. She felt herself heating up and clenched her thighs together, clutching at his back. She pulled herself up to get close enough to kiss his shoulder while he went to go take her bra off. She had been sure she was going to do it. Let him take her further than she had ever gone. But as she felt her bra straps start sliding off her shoulders, she froze. Clutching him tightly, she felt her body tense, her heart racing.

He noticed the change in her and paused. She didn't want to move. Positioned as she was, her bra was still covering her breasts. If she moved, her straps would pull down and she would be exposed. "How far have you gone before?" His voice was low and calm, and she found herself relaxing. "I've never done anything under the clothes." It made no sense, but Ginny found herself embarrassed by the confession. Had she really wanted Malfoy to think she was more sexually experienced than she was? Yes. That was what was embarrassing. That she was willing to let him do things to her she had never let a boy do to her before. Gently, he lowered her so she was lying on her back, and then he started to rebutton his shirt.

"Malfoy? You don't have to stop. Sorry I froze. I just…" She trailed off as she realized he was looking at her in anger. She was not a shy person. She was not a quiet person. But lying underneath him just now, she was all those things and more. "We need to get to class. Lunch must be over soon." He had gotten off the couch and turned away, giving her privacy to put her bra back on and redo her buttons and tie. She couldn't help but feel like an idiot. When was the last time she had let her nerves get the better of her? It was pathetic.

She cleared her throat once her clothes were back on. He turned around and she was surprised to see the anger was still there. "If anyone tries anything with you, hex them. Make it as public and humiliating as possible." She glared at him. Did he think she didn't know how to stand up for herself? Had he been deaf and blind over the years? There was a reason she had been in the Slug Club last year, and it wasn't because of family connections. "Don't worry. You won't have to fight a battle on my behalf ever again." And with that, she stormed out, headed to her next class, refusing to look back.


	5. Pushing The Limits

**Chapter 5: Pushing the Limits**

As it happened, Ginny had no reason to hex anyone all afternoon. No one dared approach her, much less insult her. Instead, there was a constant barrage of stares, whispers, and a tendency to move out of her way wherever she went. By dinner she was ready to explode in frustration. She stormed her way into the Great Hall, eliciting a number of fearful glances, but she was long past the point of caring. "You would think I had caught Spattergroit from Ron the way people are avoiding me!" Looking over, she found her friends exchange nervous glances and narrowed her eyes. "Don't you dare. You have known me for how many years now?"

It was Lavender who spoke up first. "If anyone knows that a boy can make you act like an idiot, it's me. But what you are doing with Malfoy is far beyond that. He's not just some school bully we all love to hate. Did you not notice him torturing Oliver and Nathan today?" Ginny blinked and tried to remain calm. "No Lavender. I didn't notice. Are you sure I was there? I'm pretty sure if I was, I would have told him to stop." Lavender seemed to shrink into herself, but Ginny couldn't find it in herself to feel bad.

It was Neville who spoke next. "Yeah, and he humiliated you for it." Ginny couldn't argue against that. So she avoided it. "Was I supposed to be surprised? Shocked that he was cruel? I knew that already, thank you." Neville shook his head in disgust. Ginny realized he was dismissing her. Labelling her as crazy and unreasonable. It stung, more than anything else she had endured today.

"When the time comes, I'll fight against him with everything I have, if need be. But until then, if I've found something that makes me happy, I'm doing it. This doesn't harm anyone but myself, and you know it." She noticed the others looked ready to back down, but her focus was on Neville. Neville, who was looking at her as if he was her dad. Disappointed and disapproving. Well he could shove it. Since when did he have the right to tell her how to live her life? "The only reason I am not hexing you right now Neville Longbottom is because I am starved. If you remember, I had more important things to do than eat lunch earlier."

It was only after she took a bite of her steak and kidney pie that she realized they had an audience. At least a quarter of the table seemed to be looking at them. Well good. She hoped they had overheard every word. "What about Harry?" Her throat tightened and she glanced up at him. Just as they weren't to ever talk about the DA in public, they were never to mention Harry in public. He was public enemy number one. Publicly supporting him was much too dangerous. That Neville had taken that risk… He was hurt, and Ginny felt horrible.

"Broken up." She said it in a whisper, trying hard to keep her emotions in check. She couldn't think about him. Giving herself hope that Harry would win, that he'd live through it, and that he would still want her was too much. It was too good to ever come true. "Carrows! Four o'clock." Seamus' hissed warning came just in time. Ginny and Neville both looked down and focused on their food. Regardless, the Carrows still walked over to them. Ginny shivered as she felt their presence behind her. "There's been a change in plans Weasley. Your detention tonight will take place now." Her fork clattered onto her plate. She hadn't forgotten about having detention, but she had done a good job of not thinking about it. What they had said though, it didn't make sense. Now? In the middle of dinner?

"Get up and follow us." Her legs felt heavy, but she did as she was told. The conversations tapered off into nothing as students realized what was happening. They had led her to stand in front of the Professors' Table, and they were smiling with barely contained glee. Snape looked at her briefly before standing and addressing the entire student body. "In order to maintain a healthy respect for authority, it has been deemed appropriate for less effective punishments to be replaced. Miss. Weasley will be the first to experience this new form of detention, and as such, I would ask you all to pay very close attention."

She barely had time to feel dread before it happened. She felt the force of the spell hit her, and couldn't hold back a scream. Her body had collapsed onto the ground, her limbs flailing uncontrollably. Unable to suppress it, she shrieked as every muscle, every nerve, felt as if it were on fire. Even as the spell ended, her body felt as if it had been broken beyond repair. She couldn't move. She could barely breathe. Crucio. They had just tortured her. Used an unforgivable on her in front of over a hundred witnesses. And they hadn't even been aiming to kill her. It had been for detention. Just detention.

She didn't know how long she lay there. She only knew that Filch was kicking her, growling at her to get up. She didn't. She had no desire right then to do anything but stare at the night sky enchanted onto the ceiling. One of the professors must have taken pity on her, because she found herself gently levitated back onto her feet. She was vaguely surprised to see the students had all left. Had they been forced to eat dinner as she lay there, or had everyone been excused early? She allowed Filch to lead her to her room with no resistance, barely noticing the pain in her arm as he tugged her along.

In her room, Ginny did nothing but lay on her bed. No shower. No brushing her teeth. No changing clothes. It all seemed too much to deal with right then. Her body needed deep, restful sleep to heal. Instead, she spent the night thrashing and drifting in and out of nightmares. When the wall opened the next morning, she almost missed it. Scrambling out of bed, she made it out just as the wall closed up behind her. She took a second to take stock of the situation, and sighed. Her hair was a tangled mess. She was wearing her wrinkled school uniform from yesterday. Likely, her breath stank as well as her armpits.

Oh well. At least she had her wand in her pocket. Slipping it out of her robe, she coated herself with freshening charms. They would fade in a couple of hours, but for now they'd do the job. For her hair, she managed to finger comb it into a braid that hid most of the tangles. As for wearing her school uniform on a Saturday, well she had clothes for Quidditch in the changing room at least. She just had to get breakfast, and then she could change. She could do this.

The stairs up were easy. It was hearing the voices up ahead that gave her pause. But there was nothing for it. Holding her head up high, she walked stiffly towards the Great Hall. No one was going to think she had been broken if she had anything to say about it. "Weasley." His voice made her start, her heart beating faster than normal. Looking over, she spotted him leaning against the wall. His arms were crossed and he looked completely relaxed. The dozen or so students around them seemed to all stop and stare. Ginny lifted her chin and pretended not to notice.

"Have a good night? I certainly did. Seeing you last night splayed out like that, writhing on the ground. I couldn't stop thinking of how I'd make you scream just as loud. What do you say? Up for seeing what_ my_ wand can do to you?" She swallowed and wondered if he had any idea of the effect he had on her. The look he gave her when delivering his innuendo had nearly done her in.

As for the first part of what he had said, she wasn't frightened at his words. She wasn't angry either. In fact, she realized a small part of her admired him for saying it. He was keeping up an image, rebuilding it even, and she knew it wasn't easy. He hadn't postured in public all year. Him doing it now, he was doing it for a reason. Maybe he was just making sure he didn't get eclipsed by Crabbe. Yet she also couldn't help but think he was doing it for her sake. Well, her plan's sake at least. "I have Quidditch practice until lunch." She watched his eyes narrow in anger, before he got control back and nodded. Ginny made her way into the Great Hall, trying to get herself to calm down. It had been for show. He didn't actually plan to do anything with his, um, wand. But had she really made him angry? Why would he care when they met next? As long as they were able to maintain their façade, why did it matter what she did?

"Ginny?" Startled out of her thoughts, she found herself looking at Luna. A Luna who looked very uncharacteristically somber. "I have extra clothes if you need any." Ginny couldn't help a feeling of pity overtake her. She knew why Luna would be worried about her clothes. "It's alright. No one stole them. I just forgot. I was a bit out of sorts this morning." It was a quick decision. An easy decision. She hadn't gotten to spend time with Luna outside of class in what seemed like ages. "Are you free to hang out after lunch today?" Luna grinned and Ginny felt as if her heart had lightened a little.

She had been a little nervous about what people would say at breakfast, but in fact there had been no reason to worry at all. No one made mention of her hair or clothes. Instead they greeted her with smiles and good mornings, before letting her eat in peace. She had needed it. She had needed to fly even more. Jannice had told her she didn't have to go to practice today if she didn't feel up to it. Ginny had glared, and gotten up immediately in order to head to the Pitch with the rest of the team. In hindsight, she should have taken Jannice up on her offer.

She was used to getting around the pitch faster than anyone else during warm ups. She was not used to her teammates' hanging back and letting her win. This was supposed to be competitive. If they didn't give her a challenge, how was she supposed to improve? Their scrimage went even worse. Tiberius and Rhydian hovered around her constantly, keeping the bludgers from getting anywhere near her. Eventually Ginny had lost it and screamed at them to leave her alone. That they weren't her bloody bodyguards, and to go help the chasers. The only thing on the pitch that didn't seem reluctant to push her to her limits was the snitch. With Harry gone, she had become seeker, but she had never been as good as him. Spotting it took all of her concentration, and every time it slipped out of her sights, she couldn't help but want to blast the ball into a thousand little bits. Practice ended with her having only caught it twice in three hours and her patience at an end.

After eating a hearty meal at lunch, Ginny got up to find Luna. They still needed to figure out how they wanted to spend the afternoon. Ginny had a few ideas, but one never knew with Luna. She could be in the mood for something Ginny would never think of. "Hi Luna!" Luna looked up at her with a big smile and then tilted her head to the side. "You look better now. Did you come over to let me know you'll be busy today? It's alright if you did. I'm sure your other plans are much more exciting." As was often the times with Luna, Ginny couldn't help but feel lost. "Sorry?"

Luna looked over at the Slytherin table and Ginny followed her gaze. She noticed Malfoy was staring at her. Oh, right. Well, to be fair Malfoy and her had never actually made plans. She looked away and shook her head. "My only plans for right now involve hanging out with you."

"Well in that case, I have been wanting to investigate the fifth floor. I have a suspicion there's an infestation of periots up there. Do you think Draco would like to come?" Ginny felt as if a feather could knock her over. "What?" Luna shrugged and got up to walk out with her. "I don't imagine he'd have much interest in the periots, but I just thought he might like to since you'll be there."

"There is only one reason why Malfoy would want to be where I am." Luna looked at her with pity, and Ginny had to remind herself not to get offended. This was Luna after all. "And the password to the Ravenclaw tower is pumpkin juice." Luna said it in such a calm, happy tone that it was minutes later before Ginny really realized what she had said. Stopping halfway up the stairs, Ginny looked over to Luna with a puzzled frown. "Luna? Don't you have to answer a riddle to enter your common room?" Luna only smiled and Ginny decided to let it go.

They did end up wandering the fifth floor for a bit, but Ginny was also able to use the opportunity for conversation. She was able to ask after Luna's father, and Luna was able to tell her all about the Quibbler's recent articles. That there was at least one news outlet that was able to print support for Harry was encouraging. Luna was also able to tell her that some Ravenclaws were redecorating the seventh year dorms. Bewildered at first, Ginny finally cottoned on as Luna hinted that their décor choices were Gryffindor-inspired. Not only that, but that she was leading the project having been a part of the redecorating project they did together during fourth year. Ginny had to work very hard to contain her excitement. Another branch of the DA, and Luna leading it!

By dinner time, Ginny felt in high spirits. She had managed to get a bit of work done after hanging out with Luna, but knew tomorrow would be spent in the library. Still, today had been worth it. She was heading down the stairs when suddenly she was waylaid. Shocked, she let Malfoy grab her arm, turn her around, and walk her up the stairs. He hadn't called out to her in public. He wasn't making a show of them being together. This felt personal and direct.

"What are you doing?" She said it quietly, aware that other students were watching and possibly listening. He didn't answer her. Instead he turned them off of the staircase and kept walking, still gripping her arm. Eventually he stopped and he muttered a word that unlocked the door in front of them. It was then that she realized where they were and her nerves dissipated.

"The prefects' bathroom?" Malfoy had been reinstated as a Slytherin prefect this year. It made sense that he would know the password. What didn't make sense is why they were in here. "Malfoy, I need to go down to dinner. I don't like skipping meals. Not to mention Filch and the Carrows are going to be hunting me down if I don't show up to be taken to my room."

At that, he grabbed her other arm and turned to look at her head on. His stare was piercing. "Why in Merlin's name did you do this to yourself? If you had just followed the rules you wouldn't be getting locked up every night." Ginny knew her confusion was showing. There was no denying what she was seeing. Malfoy, for whatever reason, really seemed to care.

"I didn't plan to get caught. Sorry that my punishment is apparently inconvenient to you." Irritated with her, he let go of her arms abruptly. "Just get in the bath Weasely. You know you need it. Going to Quidditch practice after having been crucioed last night? Your body probably hates you right now." Ginny held her head high. He was right. Her body had been sore all day. But it was just a nuisance to be borne. She certainly wasn't going to let it affect her life.

"Thank you, but I rather enjoy the pain. It reminds me of how unjust the Carrows are, and why people like them must be fought." She was rather used to getting her way. So it was a shock when Malfoy ignored her. As she went to turn around, he pulled her into the bathroom, and then slammed the door shut. She froze. He had just locked them into the bathroom together. She could probably get the door open with a spell. She could run. But why? Just to prove that she didn't have to take a bath if she didn't want to? "There's an hour before dinner officially ends. I will reopen the door in thirty minutes, plenty of time for you to get to the Hall so Filch can cart you away. Until then, go bathe."

She stood there, unable to decide what to do. Should she fight him on this? Should she just do what he told her to? "Don't abstain for modesty's sake. I'll look away." She jerked as she realized that was why he thought she hadn't moved. She hadn't even thought of that part of it. Oh, bugger it. "Fine. Although I have no idea why you care. My body will probably be fine by Monday, if not tomorrow." He had turned away and wasn't answering her. Ginny huffed, and stormed over to the bath. Turning on a multitude of taps, she soon had a tub of water, bubbles and scents. Glancing over at Malfoy, she was disappointed to find he still had his back completely turned. She undressed quickly and slipped in, telling herself to stop being ridiculous. Did she really want him peeping at her naked body? Yes. Ginny flushed and cleared her throat. "You can turn around now."

He did, and then smiled. She rolled her eyes and sunk even lower into the tub so her shoulders were hidden. "Yes, alright. It does feel nice."

"See? I knew you needed it. Really, you should have done it this morning." She huffed, and rolled her eyes. "Well, at least this will be the only time you have to go through that. I'm sure you more than learned your lesson." Ginny was too shocked to be angry. Too dumbfounded to be offended. "What do you mean learned my lesson? The only thing I learned is that Snape is an even bigger coward than I thought, giving into the Carrows demands."

He was incredulous. "You can't be serious. You'd risk detention again? What would be the point? You'd only be tortured again." Her initial reaction was to be offended. Then she realized that maybe she was scared of detention. She hadn't rebelled in nearly a month. She was letting them win, being complacent when she should be thinking of ways to sabotage them. She knew being isolated from the DA had been the reason. But surely she could still find some way to undermine them. Looking at Malfoy though, she decided to keep those thoughts to herself. She didn't know why he should care about what she did, but he seemed to. The knowledge made her stomach flip.

"Well at least there are no scars from it. Do you think the Carrows would be terribly upset if they were told their punishments had nothing on Umbridge's?" She could tell he didn't know how to react, so she gave him a huge smile, trying to convey it was a joke. Twisted, and with a dose of truth in it, but just a joke. He didn't smile back. He only shook his head. "I don't get how you can do that." Her smile faded. She felt insecure and uncertain. How did he have this effect on her? Why did she care if he disapproved of how she spoke? Merlin knew why, but she did. "Do what?"

"Smile like that. Smile when all you have to look forward to are friends and family dying. Living in a world where you won't have any power and your ideas won't matter." Ginny could swear she tangibly felt her mood darken at those words. The way he was speaking, she knew it couldn't all be about her. These were his thoughts. "Of course we'll matter Malfoy. We're the upcoming generation. At the very least, we'll eventually be the ones having kids and raising them." Of course, that was the point of having mandatory Hogwarts attendance wasn't it? To undo anything their parents might have taught them at home. To control what they learned and thought.

He was sitting on the edge of the tub now, leaning forward, drawn in by their discussion. "Would you really have kids? When the world is like this?" She knew what his point was. But she also knew that continuing to enjoy life was the only way to really live. "Yes." Hadn't her family hosted a wedding for Bill amidst danger? Never mind that the Burrow was under security wards and Harry had to be polyjuiced in order to attend. Life had to go on. She only had to think of Tonks to grow firmer in her decision. Remus and Tonks were both members of the Order, and yet they were having a baby. That baby was going to be a spark of joy in a dark world.

"And the danger they'll be in? How would you ever live with yourself, bringing them into a world when you know you won't be able to protect them?" Ginny bit her lip before answering. This was not something she had ever discussed before. She was pretty certain what she thought. But of course, it was still guesswork. She could only imagine what type of mum she would be. She wouldn't know until it actually happened. "Well, when they are little, they will grow up surrounded by love and laughter. I can give them that, no matter what is going on outside. And then as they grow, I will teach them how to value kindness, friendship. Then hopefully as they get older they'll be able to stand up for themselves and what they believe in. No matter the circumstances."

He was still looking at her, but his gaze was unfocused. As if he wasn't really there. And then his eyes cleared. "I'd teach them wandwork. Make sure they know how to protect themselves and how to out maneuver anyone who wants to cause them harm. And I would do whatever I had to in order to make sure they'd be able to grow up safely." Ginny's eyes rounded slightly. Malfoy had whispered that last sentence, and had looked more serious than she had ever seen him. She had never felt more attracted to him.

"Turn around. I'm done with my bath." He frowned. "It's only been five minutes. You need to soak." Her breaths were getting short. She knew what she was going to do. She just didn't know how he would react. "No, I need you. And unless you're coming in here with me, I'm coming out."

He jerked back, and Ginny moved closer to the edge of the tub. He wasn't sneering at her. He didn't look repulsed. He just looked unsure. "You don't have to do this Weasely…" Ginny only felt her resolve strengthen. "I know I don't have to. I want to." Scenarios were running through her head. She would grab his arm and yank him into the tub, wrap her legs around his waist, and make out with him until he couldn't take it anymore. He would unzip and take her right there. Or, maybe she would climb out of the tub and right onto him, until every inch of him was soaked from where her body pressed against him. In the end, it was probably better that Malfoy stood up. She had no idea if she would have actually been able to go through with either of those thoughts.

He turned around, and Ginny got out of the bath. By the time he turned back, she was wearing a bathrobe. His breath hitched and she smirked at him. Each prefect had a bathrobe in here. She was wearing his. Finally, his reservations seemed to dissolve. He smirked back at her, and then backed her against the wall. She let him, loving the fact that he was taking charge. He wanted her too.

Ginny felt her thoughts shutting down, as all of her focus began to revolve around the physical. Their kissing was warm, demanding, and so very satisfying. His lips were soft. His tongue was strong. And he tasted so good. So right. He broke away to kiss her jaw, and his hands went down to clutch at her hips. She thrusted into him as his kisses traveled down towards her shoulders. She was hyper aware of his hands, and decided not to resist. All of those things she had been telling people to justify being with Malfoy? They should have been lies, but Ginny realized she was beginning to believe them. This made her happy. It wouldn't hurt anyone but herself. It didn't have to mean anything else. She reached down and grabbed his hand. He had stopped kissing her, but wasn't resisting. Nervously, she guided his hand in through the opening of the robe. Half of her was expecting him to stop. He was obviously considering it.

And then he made his choice. He resumed kissing her collarbone as his hand roamed up and down the side of her body, from ribcage to thigh and back. If she was disappointed that he hadn't used the opportunity for more, she was quite satisfied when his hand came around to hold her bare buttock, pulling her into him so that she could feel his trousers straining against his cock. His other hand was flat against the wall, holding them in place while she clung to him. She hadn't intended for this to happen, but with his hand inside of her robe, his arm was slowly forcing the robe to loosen. She could feel the bathrobe's belt coming undone, and slowly began to panic. He was going to see her naked. It was unclear if he realized what was about to happen. He was now kissing her mouth, and seemed wholly focused on that. She tried to be too. Even so, when she felt the knot give way, she closed her eyes and tensed.

She was aware of every sensation. With the robe parted, her front was now very much exposed. The silk of his button down shirt was tickling her stomach and breasts. The rougher material of his trousers was now touching her pubic hair. He had pulled back slightly, but only enough that he was able to see her face. They looked at each other without speaking. He saw her nod slightly, and then he returned to kissing her. She knew he hadn't looked down yet. If they went further, it would still be her choice. Pulling back, she blushed and removed her arms from around him. She tugged the bathrobe back so it closed, and he pulled his hand out.

"Join me?" He was staring at her in confusion, but she had expected him to. She knew she was acting strangely. Probably sending mixed signals. Still, she didn't want to explain herself fully. It sounded stupid. She really thought she was ready, but she was embarrassed about him seeing all of her. She was generally rather proud of her body. Yet, faced with a man actually about to look at it, she found she was really only comfortable with her chest being seen. She slipped out around him and walked back to the bath. Keeping her back to him, she shucked off the bathrobe before submerging herself.

Then, she turned around and looked at him, keeping her breasts visible. "It's still nice and warm." His eyes finally darted down to her chest, and Ginny stayed very still. She was pretty sure he would like how they looked. But confirmation would still be nice. "I know they're not the biggest, but..." "They're perfect." He had cut her off quickly and decisively. It made her glow. "Turn." Ginny did so and tried to contain her smile. After a long moment of waiting, she jumped when she felt him. Sneaking up behind her, he had announced his presence by reaching around and grabbing one of her breasts in each hand. He gave them a quick squeeze before caressing them as he kissed the back of her neck. She moaned. He pulled her back into him, so that she was nearly sitting in his lap. She gasped, very much turned on by the fact that she could feel his erection pressing into her.

"Tell me what you want." Ginny shivered as his breath touched her ear. His hands felt wonderful on her chest, and she loved sitting on his lap. Yet her body was insisting that it wasn't enough. She wanted nothing more than to squirm and have something press between her thighs. Opening her legs, she began grinding onto his thigh, not sure what else to do. He groaned. She knew he was waiting for her to speak, but she honestly had no idea what to say. They were so far beyond anything she had ever experienced. It was all new. It was adrenaline pumping, nerves racing, and thoughts swirling. She had never felt so out of control in terms of her body wanting something. She was mortified to find herself whimpering as he pinched her nipples. Merlin. What was he waiting for? Could he not tell that she was more turned on than she had ever been in her life? That she was aching for him?

"Ungh. Do you have any idea what you're doing to me witch? Every part of me is screaming to flip you around and plow into you." Ginny hadn't thought her desire could increase. His words proved her wrong. "Then what are you waiting for?" His hands pushed against her side, and taking the cue, she turned around so that she was straddling him. His entire face was flushed. "I will hex you if you ever tell anyone about this. But before today, taking off a bra is as far as I had ever gone. Neither of us know exactly what we are doing, and trying it out for the first time in a bathtub is a disaster waiting to happen. When we fuck, it will be on a bed." Ginny nodded, heart racing at the fact he had said when, not if.

"For now, would you just, touch me?" She had always wondered what an erect penis would feel like. What it would even look like. It seemed like a momentous occasion. That a lifelong curiosity was about to be sated. It was a turning point, but not one she was going to back away from. Her hand reached down and took hold of him, marveling at how smooth it felt. He closed his eyes in pleasure as she moved her hand up and down his shaft. His hands had fallen away from her body, as he seemed to bask in his own sensations.

She wanted to make him feel good, but she also wanted his hands back on her. She began to pick up the pace, and then much to her horror, his face scrunched up. "Not so fast!" She had hurt him. She could feel her own lust leaving her body at his words. She had messed up sex. And this was supposed to be the easiest type. Just a hand job. "Sorry, sorry. I didn't mean to." He only nodded and took a breath. "It's fine. Keep this pace. You feel great." She didn't know if she believed him, but she did as he asked. She had never imagined that she would be bad at this. That what she did wouldn't feel good. Weren't girls the ones who were supposed to feel pain when it came to sex?

To make everything even worse, he suddenly shoved her hand away and gripped himself. His arm was moving quickly, and then suddenly he stopped. His eyes opened and he looked utterly spent. She was mortified. She hadn't even been able to get him off. He had needed to push her away to get the job done. Was she that bad at hand jobs? Was she not as attractive as she had thought? She wanted nothing more than to run out of this room and go cry in her own bed. She wasn't hiding her emotions well. Malfoy went from satisfied to worried in record time. "What's wrong?"

She wasn't going to cry. That was the only thing running through her head. "Nothing. I just, I didn't realize I'd be so bad at this." He blinked, and then his hands came up to hug her around the waist. "You were fantastic. You have no idea how much I loved having you touch me. I just, I was getting so close and I didn't really know how to articulate what I needed." She nodded, but apparently Malfoy could tell she was still sad. He tangled his hand into her hair and kissed her thoroughly, over and over. "You are the sexiest witch in the entire school." She knew he was biased. That he might only be saying it because she was sitting naked in his lap. Still, it made her smile.

"Dinner?" Ginny didn't really want to leave now. Not after all they had done. But she knew she'd be hungry later tonight, and she really couldn't avoid Filch. It would stir up more trouble than it was worth. "Alright." Draco got out first, and didn't tell Ginny to turn away so she didn't. He had a really cute butt. He did keep his back to her as she got out though, which she thought was rather gentlemanly of him.

Dried off and ready to go, Malfoy grabbed her hand. "Tomorrow night. I'll sneak in to your room under a disillusionment charm. I'll place a glamour on my bed before dinner, and then follow you and Filch down after." She knew what he was saying. Her room had a bed in it. He was going to be in there with her all night. There were a whole slew of reasons why she should say no. It wouldn't help her plan at all. No one was going to know he was in there with her. She wasn't even sure this was purely physical. Oh well. "I can't wait."

They smiled at each other, and then made their way down to the Hall. She wanted to hold his hand. Cling to his arm. Instead, she tried to make herself think of food and all the homework she was going to have to do tomorrow. Once there, they parted ways and Ginny stuffed her face with food, ignoring all the stares. She only had ten minutes after all. Half the Hall had already emptied out, and she had more important things to worry about. Let them think what they will. In all honesty they were probably right. She had gone mental over a boy, and she wasn't so sure she minded.


	6. Feelings Grow

**Chapter 6: Feelings Grow**

She watched the cut on her hand activate the stone door, trying to keep her expression vacant. Sunday had gone about the way she had expected. She had done a lot of work in the library, seen her friends at meals, and taken a walk in the freezing air desperate to be alone. She had eventually stood by the lake, letting herself think through crazy fantasies.

Despite having time to come to her senses, Ginny had not in the slightest. She knew what they were doing was absolutely mad. She also hadn't felt this good in what felt like ages. She was rather sure Malfoy felt the same way. Still, she couldn't be sure. It was possible he had changed his mind. Realized that there was no reason for him to have to be trapped in a room with her all night. The dungeons were dark enough that if he was here under a disillusionment charm, he was well hidden. Or he could have simply decided not to come.

Just in case, she walked through slowly, staying to one side in case he was coming in too. Making sure not to give anything away to Filch, she walked all the way to her desk, took out a book, and waited for the wall to shut. The last stone clicked back into place and Ginny stopped breathing. Was he here? "You don't actually have homework still, do you?"

Ginny's face broke out into a grin. A grin that she promptly suppressed. Turning her head, she lifted her nose up into the air. "Of course. That was the point of tonight, wasn't it? You helping me with Potions in exchange for last night?"

His shock and bewilderment were too much. She broke into laughter. "It's alright. You can make it up to me another way." She stood up and yanked him towards her, kissing him with wild abandon. She had expected him grabbing her waist and kissing back. She had not expected him to turn them around and then walk her backwards until the back of her knees touched her bed. Throughout all of this, he had not stopped kissing her. She had told herself not to overthink this. That tonight was just about enjoying herself.

She broke away and lay down on her bed, trying very hard to ignore her nerves. Her stomach was tight and uncomfortable. There was a nagging voice in the back of her head that she couldn't quite smother, telling her this was a bad idea. That hadn't she always wanted to save this for her future husband? It was a relief when Malfoy crawled on top of her. With his mouth kissing up and down her neck and his hands going underneath her top, it was much easier to block out the doubts. She shoved his robe off of his shoulders and then yanked at his shirt in order to allow her access to his bare skin. Her own hands were roaming up and down his back, her mouth occupied with his.

She felt a chill as he pulled away from her. She propped herself up on her elbows and found herself simply watching him. He took off his boots and robe, and was now unbuttoning his shirt. She was mesmerized. It wasn't just his body. It was his face. She had never thought him ugly. But she had never thought his face quite so handsome as she did now. She knew she was in trouble. That her hormones must be influencing her mind. And yet, she couldn't seem to care. With the last button undone, he looked over at her, smirking. "Like what you see?" Ginny found herself mirroring his expression and sat up. "Very much." And with that, she launched herself at him and renewed their snogging.

She was now the one on top, and she reveled in it. His shirt was pushed off in seconds, and he tugged her sweater off, tossing it behind them. Her hands could not stay still. She didn't know where the idea had come from. She didn't know how he would react. She went for it. Grabbing his wrists, she shoved them backwards and held them down over his head. There was a moment of shock on both their ends, and then he looked at her with a steady gaze. He was now lying under her, in theory giving her all the power. In reality, she felt anxious and vulnerable. His dark mark was splayed out right in front of her and he wasn't smiling anymore. She knew if he wanted, he could shove her off. He was stronger than her. But he didn't. He only looked at her.

It was supposed to be only physical. It shouldn't matter that he had the dark mark. No new information had been revealed. The war was what it was. And for now, they were only two students. Two teenagers that had both grown up in the wizarding world with loving parents and wanted to keep their world safe for their own, future children. Leaning down, Ginny kissed him and they both felt the significance. For now, they were choosing each other. It was voluntary and for no other reason than they wanted each other.

Her staying on top didn't last long. He rolled them over, and then grabbed her wrists to put them in exactly the same position she had put his. "Now this feels right." She didn't know if this counted as a weakness, but she had to agree with him. She had no idea how much she would like seeing him looming over her like this. She began wiggling under him, needing to feel some sort of friction. His mouth twitched, and then he leaned down to kiss her again. He managed to shift his grip so that he was holding both wrists with one hand, while his other hand slid under her bra.

She didn't know how long they had been at it. It felt like no time at all, and at the same time it felt as if an eternity had passed. Kisses were getting more frantic and both of them had hands roaming and grabbing the other's body. Ginny was squirming under him, feeling hot and wet. She had helped him get her bra off and he had kicked his trousers off, feeling too confined to be comfortable. She knew they were getting close to sex. He knew they were getting close to sex. And neither was pulling away. He got up on his knees and began pulling her bottoms off. He was tugging everything off in one go, leaving her exposed and naked. Ginny took the opportunity to grab the vial on her end table and take a sip.

"Ready?" Ginny looked over at him and nodded. She knew she needed to relax. Relax and trust him. She couldn't have anticipated what he did next though. Her eyes widened and she moaned. His fingers were down there, moving in and out and around in ways that made her buck her hips in pleasure. She gasped as he hit one particularly sensitive spot and heard herself breathlessly call his name. She dimly realized she had called him by his first name, but she didn't feel any embarrassment about it. If she couldn't call him Draco when his fingers were buried in her, when could she?

And then the pleasure became uncomfortable. He was stretching her too much. She winced and opened her eyes to look at what he was doing. He wasn't looking at her. He was looking down there. Ginny flushed and made an effort to close her thighs. Knowing she was naked was different than watching him look at her there. Who knew what it looked like? She didn't have the foggiest, and it was her body. He noticed her legs trying to close and glanced up. "Just relax. I'll go slow." Oh. That's what he was stretching her for. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, trying to get every muscle in her body to loosen. She could hear him moving, but kept her eyes closed, focusing on staying calm. This didn't have to hurt. She knew there was a muscle down there. Draco was going to be pushing through it. She just couldn't be tense.

She could feel his erection pressing against her folds. She could hear him breathing above her. And then he started rocking. Nice and slow. She opened her eyes and found his, focusing on the bright silver colour. His hands were braced on either side of her. She began rocking with him, matching his rhythm, loving the feel of him between her thighs. Teasing her folds. Teasing her entrance. And then suddenly he was in. He paused for a second, and then continued his slow rocking when Ginny didn't cry out. It had been a shock. Uncomfortable at first. But not horribly painful. More like a pinch. She continued to rock with him, finding each time eased the discomfort a little more. And then it began to feel wonderful. She could feel him in her. His dick was in her. She felt giddy. She felt strange. But most of all she felt satisfied. This was pleasant and lovely. Not horrible and painful like she had feared.

Just as she was getting accustomed to it, he began to quicken his pace and Ginny found she couldn't keep up anymore. She gasped as his thrusts seemed to grow more powerful. He was going deeper and the spots he was hitting inside of her had her moaning, intense sparks of pleasure racing through her. Her legs were wrapped around his waist, clenching around him as if he were an anchor in the sea of sensations she was experiencing. His hands had moved to hold her wrists down as he thrust hard enough that her body moved up the mattress. She cried out, certain she had never physically experienced something so wonderful. She could feel pressure building in her as he continued to thrust quickly. And then it was over.

He had let go of her wrists and collapsed on top of her, his chest rising and falling with deep breaths. She lay there for a minute, unable to think much about anything other than how happy she was right then. He had felt amazing. Her body felt amazing. He was amazing. Eventually, she realized she was getting cold. Their bodies had both been so heated from sex that their skin was sticky with sweat. Now though, it only made the dungeon air feel even more chilly than normal. She shifted and Malfoy groaned. "Draco?" She didn't know she would say his first name. But it felt right when she did.

"Hmm?" She smiled. She couldn't help it. He sounded exhausted. "I'm going to take a shower. I'll be right back." He made some sound of assent, and rolled off of her, grabbing for a pillow that he promptly stuffed under his head. She couldn't help but continue to smile. She had never imagined she'd feel this way. She wanted to do it again. Hell, she wanted to do it every night! As it turned out, the shower had been a great idea. Not just for alleviating the cold. She was worried at first, realizing her thighs were wet and sticky. She knew blood was a possibility. She did not know about whatever this other stuff was. Semen maybe? Is that what it looked like? But then she figured it must be normal and she was able to wash it all away. She came out feeling warm and ready to curl up in bed. She brushed her teeth and brushed her hair, before looking at herself in the mirror. Did she look any different? Logically, she knew she shouldn't. It was daft to expect it. Still, she felt as if she should. She was no longer a virgin. And she had decided to lose it with Draco Malfoy of all people.

She pulled on her Chuddley Canons shirt, and then crawled back into bed. Draco turned around at the movement and Ginny had a strong urge to cuddle him. Was that weird? She didn't think so. They had just done something much more intimate after all. Still, she was nervous. She inched over just a bit, trying to gauge his reaction. His eyes narrowed as he watched her, and Ginny immediately stopped, stiffening slightly. "You alright?" She nodded and then took a breath. Was she really still worried about him rejecting her? She felt ridiculous. "Erm, would you mind just…" He began to smile slightly. "Just holding you? Yeah, alright. Come here."

He lay on his back and held his arm out, letting her scoot into his side and place her head on his chest. Then his arm came up and around to hold her in place. She beamed. It was that feeling again. That strange, illogical feeling that as long as he was holding her, she was safe. They stayed silent for a while, both lost in their own thoughts. Eventually, Ginny broke it. "You know, I feel as if I should be mad at _Magic Miss _for making me think the first time was going to be horrible." Draco laughed, and then smirked. "Maybe I'm just better than the average wizard." Ginny secretly agreed with that statement, but she only rolled her eyes. "Of course. Although I'm rather certain you only got that way by reading every filthy magazine you could get your hands on."

He shrugged. "Well maybe. There are quite a few that make the rounds. You ought to be grateful for them though. I'd have been going in blind otherwise." Ginny knew he had told her yesterday that he had barely gotten further than she had with previous relationships. It was still nice to be reminded of it though. "Yeah, me too. Technically, mum had the talk with me but it was pretty vague. The summer before my fifth year she found out I was dating Dean and told me, what was it? "Boys can get very excited sometimes and touch you in places that aren't decent. If he tries to touch you or have you touch him, leave. They don't always think with their brains and if you let them, they'll do far more than touch." Like I hadn't already learned what sex was."

He grinned. "And are you going to follow her advice?" His hand had reached over to touch her in a place that was certainly not decent. Ginny squirmed, and before she knew it, he had gotten up to straddle her. "My, my. What do we have here? No bra? No knickers?" She bucked as he used one hand to twist her nipple and the other to finger her.

"You know what my mother said?" Ginny made some unintelligible noise, and moaned as his fingers brushed something outside of her entrance. "I was only thirteen. The house elf found the magazine in my room and informed mother about it. Apparently. She told me that any urges I was having better not be explored before I was ready to be a father and a husband. That if she found out I had compromised any girl's reputation, I would be fully responsible for her." Ginny continued to moan as Draco had figured out to focus on that spot. He stopped talking as he realized she was in her own world, and instead focused on the girl underneath him.

Ten minutes later, she was cuddled back into him, trying to convince herself that thanking him for sex was not appropriate. She didn't know what he had done exactly, but her body was still throbbing with it. "Draco? When this is all over, if you end up surviving, what do you want to do?" He stared at her for a long time before answering. She didn't mind the wait. She felt as if she could stay cuddled into him like this for hours.

"Maybe potions? I like it, and there's always a need for brewers." She stared up at him, and then frowned. Pushing off his chest, she sat up and crossed her arms. "No you don't. Not that much. You're only thinking of going into brewing to avoid danger. It's not political, it's away from the action, and everyone you supply to will think you're on their side." He shot up, and stared at her with his mouth open. "How did you figure that out?"

Ginny shrugged. "I have been in the same school as you for over five years. You're not some quiet academic who would be content to work in isolation. You're a leader by nature. You like people listening to you, following you. You're loud, and obnoxious, and full of ideas. You'd be much more suited for the Ministry. Making deals, throwing your weight around. You'd love it. Legislator maybe?"

He frowned. "I'll have you know I am very academic, and I worked alone all last year." She raised her eyebrows at that, and tilted her head. "Fulfilling, was it? Made you happy, made you wish for more projects?" His expression turned into something slightly frightening. "Weasley, you know I hated that project, and you know why." She shrugged her shoulder and tried to feign indifference. She was not letting him know she was scared. "Fine. Imagine if fixing the cabinet was just a normal project. You had a boss that wanted it fixed, and figuring out how to do it was your full time job all year. To do it all by yourself, in your little area. Would you enjoy your work? Yearn to come to the office so you could keep chipping away at the challenge of it?" He was glaring at her. "No."

She nodded and continued on. "Now, imagine a cauldron. Just you and the cauldron. All day, every day. You do produce some potions by the book. It's very step by step and routine. But then of course you have to experiment a little. Find out how to alter it just right to fit your customers' needs. A lot of mess, a lot of mistakes. Sometimes, you even injure yourself. And it's all for others." He was glowering at her, but she was getting into it now.

"And then the customers! Oh, the customers are wonderful at small talk and love chatting about their lives. Of course, you have those who are going to argue about price. Claim their batch wasn't good quality and demand refunds. Some might want a potion that's impossible to brew. Or maybe.." He snapped. "Fine! I would hate it. But if it's the best way to protect myself, I'd manage."

She just nodded. "And you?" Honestly, she tried not to think about it too much. She was taking a number of NEWTS this year as a way to keep her options open. Just in case. But actually talking about her future seemed idiotically optimistic. "Well, it's sort of far-fetched. But after all this, I'd probably only want to do something I absolutely loved." He continued to stare at her and Ginny relented, a small smile poking out. "Quidditch. I'd play Quidditch." He didn't laugh at her like she was half-expecting him to. Instead he narrowed his eyes.

"Bit dangerous, isn't it?" Ginny shrugged. It was. And as loathe as she was to admit it, women had a disadvantage. There was simply no way to out strengthen the men. The best women players relied on being quick and strategic. Even then it was tough. Never mind being a beater. Even as a chaser or keeper, the men threw the ball harder and faster than a woman could. "I'd still want to give it a shot, I think. Then maybe retire young, start a family." She had only ever told one other person all this, and it had not gone well. Over the summer, Ginny had mentioned her dreams to Hermione who had been nearly scandalized.

Hermione knew next to nothing about Quidditch, but she knew a woman would likely not make much money playing it. Apparently it was a similar situation in the muggle world. And then, hearing that Ginny intended to be a stay at home mother, Hermione had been incredibly concerned that Ginny was setting up to be destitute. Ginny had angrily informed her that she wasn't planning to marry a lay about, thank you very much, and Hermione had gone quite still. She then asked Ginny if she meant to rely on her future husband to provide the income, and had not seemed to understand Ginny's simple answer of yes.

The whole thing had left Ginny feeling attacked, and she never did figure out what Hermione's problem had been. "Well, if you're serious you should practice during your free periods. Quidditch practice once a week isn't going to get you there." She knew he was right. But there was only so much she could do on her own. What she really wanted to practice was being a chaser. But with no one trying to take the ball from her? No one to throw or catch with? No one to defend the goal hoops? It seemed a bit ridiculous.

"See if you can get Pucey to fly with you." She made a face. Pucey was the Slyhterin captain this year, and by far the best flyer on their team. He was also incredibly short tempered. "Why aren't you playing this year? It would be loads better than having to fly against Rettler." Without Malfoy playing, Rettler had apparently been the next best thing. Which was a bit sad. Rettler was a fourth year whose entire strategy involved following her around, and then shouting for his beaters when she spotted the snitch. In theory, he'd be able to grab the snitch while she dodged bludgers. In practice, Ginny grabbed the snitch after dodging them and wrapping up the game before Rettler was within 50 meters of it.

He hadn't answered her, other than to shrug. She grinned, and swung herself onto his lap. "Rejoin the team. They won't say no; you know they won't." He frowned, but she didn't let that phase her. "Come on, Malfoy. You can't convince me you wouldn't love to show off. Have half the school cheering for you. You miss it." He looked at her and then got a dangerous glint in his eye.

"Fine. But if I rejoin Quidditch, you have to cheer for me." Ginny narrowed her eyes and then pursed her lips. "Fine." Honestly, she didn't care. It wasn't as if she had any connections to the Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw seekers. He didn't need to know that though. She was more than willing to let him believe she was making a big sacrifice with this. "You're lucky you're so fit." And then she kissed him, sparking a whole new round of touching and snogging.

Neither of them knew when they managed to get to sleep. Ginny was careful to set an alarm though, not willing to take any chances.

The morning came much too soon. Ginny grappled for her wand, shut the alarm off, and didn't move. "You use the toilet first." Even if it gave her only two extra minutes, she would take it. She heard movement from the other side of the bed, heard the bathroom door close, and smiled. Extra two minutes it was then. Or so she thought. It couldn't have been 30 seconds later that her covers were snatched away and she whined as the cold hit her. "Come on. I'm not dragging you out of bed." She sat up sulking. Her extra minutes had passed without her realizing. Malfoy was already standing, hair combed, and half-dressed. He had brought everything in his bag last night, and she was struck by how well he had prepared for this. Figures that he was organized and a planner.

She stared at him and wondered what she ought to do. Just brush past him? Kiss him good morning? Pull him back into bed and see what they could do in five minutes? "I know I'm mesmerizing to look at, but you really are running short on time." Brush past it was. She had gotten out of bed and was walking past him when she felt his hand grab her ass and squeeze. A shot of desire ran right through her. She looked back at him, an open question in her eyes. Was he up for something quick? He tilted his head and smacked her butt. "Don't tease. Go. This wall is supposed to open in four minutes." At the reminder, she raced into the bathroom, peed, and then ran for her clothes. The wall opened with her still trying to dress. She panicked, but she needn't have. Draco grabbed her shoes, tie, vest, and robe off of the floor, and went out. Picking up her satchel, she trailed after him in socks.

"I don't know how you don't get stuck behind this wall every morning." Honestly, she wasn't sure either. It was a bit of a miracle some mornings. She finished buttoning her shirt and reached for her tie. As he handed it to her, he didn't let go forcing her to look up. "I'm heading up. I'll catch you later." She felt a pain in her chest at his words, and was disgusted. She was not going to be clingy for Merlin's sake. She had never been clingy. In fact, she distinctly remembered her and Dean fighting because she wasn't, and he had wanted her to be.

"Sure." He tugged at the tie a little more, forcing her to stumble forward a step, and then kissed her before letting go of the tie and walking away. She stood there watching him go, before realizing what she was doing and shaking her head. She didn't know how she was ever going to forget last night. She was pretty sure he had just ruined any other guy for her. Still, she didn't regret it.


	7. Regaining Life

**Chapter 7: Regaining Life**

It had been four days since they had slept together. Four days of finding herself thinking of him obsessively. Four days of rushed meetings, empty classrooms, making out, and talking. Both seemed to have found in each other a person they could finally talk to that they didn't have to protect or lie to. They were never together for long. The overlap of their free periods was never more than 40 minutes or so. The first part of that time was dedicated to snogging. If anything, kissing him had only become more erotic. His hands would plunge under her clothing, touching her in places that left her flushed and needy. She would return the favor, undoing his trousers enough to touch his erection. Yet there was an unspoken agreement to not go further. To do nothing that their clothes couldn't be readjusted for, if the door was ever slammed open. Locking spells aside, there was always a chance a professor might catch them. And doing anything more than kissing would land them in trouble that neither of them wanted. It was still a school, and they were still students after all.

Eventually their kissing would wind down, leaving them both wanting but unwilling to risk going further. It was then that they talked. She told him how she felt like doing schoolwork was a waste of time. How what she really should be studying was how to fight. Although that might be useless as well, given that it seemed no one in her family would ever let her go into battle.

He admitted that his parents were the same way. Neither of them wanted him anywhere near the fighting or in any sort of danger. She had been shocked at first, and had asked "even your father?" It was then that she had learned Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy had done nothing but live in terror, prisoners in their own home, for months. Voldermort had planned to kill them once Draco inevitably failed to kill Dumbledore. Draco not entirely failing had apparently been enough to keep them alive, but that was about it. The only thing he or his father had done as deatheaters since then was be present for witnessing the torture and murder of those the Dark Lord considered enemies.

It was something that he hadn't been able to talk about to anyone. All the other students thought of him as a powerful deatheater, full of responsibilities. A strong, dedicated supporter of the Dark Lord. He knew that Ginny didn't look up to him for that. That she wouldn't be terrified to find out he wasn't any of those things. That she wouldn't rat him out to anyone. And so he told her. He told her how awful it was to have people in and out of the house, making you feel like a guest in your own home at best. How he hadn't been able to sleep through the night once all summer, waking up in a panic at the slightest noise. How snakes had become one of his least favorite animals.

It was strange, realizing that his version of bravery was to lie to others. That maintaining his reputation was his way of helping his friends, letting them continue to think their lives would end up alright. Not letting them know that the Dark Lord was a sadistic, violent man that ruled through fear. That his followers were hardly safer than anyone else. She knew he hoped they would never realize it. He wouldn't say it, but everything seemed to point to him wanting the Dark Lord to disappear. Did he want Harry to win? Were they actually on the same side of this war? She didn't ask, knowing it would be too intrusive. But she couldn't help but hope.

The thing she did know with certainty is that they both imagined a world they could feel safe in. It was the talk of the future that made her heart thud madly. She had been avoiding thinking of a future for so long, yet she couldn't help but get caught up in what Draco said. They both loved the country. Having grown up in one, they both wanted a home surrounded by green fields, trees, and far from the neighbors. A place infested with magical creatures. A place they could fly around without worry of being seen. A place that would be a haven from the rest of the world.

He had adopted her suggestion of him working at the Ministry, but had decided a lobbyist was a better fit. Ginny had just stared at him, having no idea what that meant. His eyes had gleamed at that. Apparently that was the draw for him. It wasn't an official positon. He wouldn't have a boss or rules to be constrained by. Lobbyists were paid under the table to push laws through, and were able to pick and choose who to take payment from. In his ideal world, he would work for the causes he wanted, make connections at the Ministry, and then come home to a loving wife, happy kids, home cooked meal, and clean house. There would be Quidditch matches on the weekends, trips to the sea in the summer. A quiet life full of lazy leisure.

Ginny added in a garden that could be degnomed by a house elf; she would be quite willing to give that chore up, and stables for winged horses. While flying on the threstal had been rather jarring given that she couldn't see it, she had loved the experience. She had since looked up flying horses and had found there were in fact four breeds. Abraxans were a giant palomino breed that drank only single-malt whiskey. Aethonans were a chestnut breed most common in Britain and Ireland. There were Threstals of course. And then there were the Granians. A gray breed that was known for being "particularly fast". She was rather convinced that riding on a Granian was now one of her life long dreams.

Of course owning even one winged horse would be a significant expense. It was nothing but a farfetched desire. After listening to her speak, Ginny had expected Draco to make some general comment, or at the most agree that it would be brilliant to ride one. She did not expect him to start thinking of what acreage it would require, what charms would be needed for invisible fencing, and wonder what their diet was. She certainly didn't expect him to start talking about some breeder his father knew in Ireland. A breeder he thought could be blackmailed into selling one for a discounted rate.

She had sat in Charms after that conversation, replaying it over and over in her head. Neither was admitting it exactly, but Ginny was rather sure they had crossed a line at some point. They weren't just sharing their individual dreams for their own future. When Draco talked, she couldn't help but imagine herself as that wife he came home to, flew around the yard with, and went on trips with. But was that so bad? She had imagined marrying Harry for years. It was only for fun; playing around with the 'what if'. She wasn't in love with Draco. If he proposed today, she would of course say no and think him completely mad. Still, she couldn't help but admit that thinking of the 'what if' was extremely enjoyable.

It wasn't until Friday morning that she was pulled back into reality. It was as if a bubble had popped. Ginny had noticed Millicent had a black eye at breakfast, and guilt had consumed her. She had been so caught up in Malfoy that she had almost forgotten the reason why this all started. She had grabbed him in the hall before lunch. He had gone with it, pressing her against the wall as he kissed her neck, before pulling back and smirking when she gasped. "Well, someone's eager. Let's go then."

Once alone in a classroom, Draco had gone in to kiss her, but Ginny had shoved him back. He stepped back in confusion and Ginny realized how far they had come. The farce was no longer the school thinking that they were sexually involved. The farce was now that the school didn't know it wasn't just physical. They were meeting like this for themselves now. Eager to spend time together, and fully wrapped up in each other. She felt the guilt come back. This wasn't supposed to be about her and her own happiness. She needed to sort out her priorities, and now.

"How has Millicent been?" Draco's face fell at her question and he shrugged his shoulders. "I've been keeping everyone in the common room at night, including Crabbe. Talking, games, even some spell practice. It's helping. He has no chance to go off and drag her away without it seeming rude. He disappeared yesterday after Dark Arts though. So did Millie. Today I think she was fine. I'm pretty sure Daphne didn't leave her side." Ginny nodded and decided she should move on Crabbe. There was no need to stretch this out longer than necessary. The entire school knew she was involved with Malfoy already.

And with that thought in mind, she couldn't help but stare at him. Once she moved on to the portion of her plan that involved Crabbe, this had the potential to be over. She knew it had only been a week. She knew that she shouldn't care if he never spoke to her again. But she did. In fact, she cared very much. They had never really gotten a chance to talk before this week. She felt like their time together had been important. That they were on the brink of something. This past week felt more like a month or more. It was as if her whole life had changed, and the Ginny she was two weeks ago was now unrecognizable.

She liked where they were now. She liked the Draco Malfoy she had gotten to know. She liked seeing him regaining his confidence and attitude. She liked the fact that he wanted her to not get tortured or killed. She liked that he liked her. He thought she was attractive. He had opened up to her about his fears and dreams, and she had done the same. What felt like ages ago now, he had told her to get involved with someone who would keep her safe. She couldn't help but wonder now if he had meant himself. Lavender had been right; boys made you crazy. And selfish. All of her fears were now about herself. About losing this, whatever she had, with Draco. It wouldn't do. There were more important things in the world and she couldn't let him distract her. She had to think of the bigger picture.

"Right. Well, that won't keep up forever. I suppose it's no use delaying now. What class does Crabbe have this afternoon?" Draco had gone stiff, and he just stared at her. She snapped at him. Her patience shouldn't have been so short, but her nerves were fried. She did not want to do what she knew she should, and he was an outlet. "What! That was the point of all this, remember?" His eyes had narrowed now and Ginny knew he was angry. She wanted to hit him. What right did he have to be angry? "Cut the shit Weasley. You and I both know that whatever this is between us, it's more than a ruse for this plan of yours."

At his words, a sense of joy lurched through her, but she realized now was not the time. She could be happy about the fact later. She had to steady her voice before she spoke again. "Regardless, the plan is still needed. Crabbe will find ways around you, as he did yesterday, and I am not going to let it." He had pinned her under a hard look and breathed deeply through his nose. A part of her wanted to smile like an idiot. He didn't want her to do this. He didn't want her flirting with another man. She worked to suppress that part, and focus on the unpleasant things. She knew the last thing he wanted to see right now was her smiling. No doubt he would misconstrue it.

"Give me a day. I'll think of something." Looking at his frustrated gaze, she realized that if there was ever going to be a time to push him, this was it. It was worth a shot at least. "You could just tell Crabbe to stop. Publically go against what he is doing, and show support for Millicent." He stared at her with a pained expression. She just stared back. He was not going to get sympathy from her. She couldn't cave. On this issue, she had to be the strong one. She understood why he didn't want to go with that plan. Why it wasn't a strategic move. Turning a friend and future death eater into a possible enemy in order to stand up for a girl whose family was now marred by having a mudblood in their line. It would be idiotic. People might question his loyalty to the new Ministry and their laws. He could jeopardize himself and his parents. Or worse.

She crossed her arms and straightened her posture. He wasn't going to let her do it. It would be up to her. And he was only an obstacle. A sudden ball of dread formed in her as she realized what was needed. Just as she had pushed away her crush on Harry for years, she was going to have to do the same thing with Draco. She had to focus on those in need; not some boy. She was a Weasley. She was strong, independent, and brave. She would do the right thing. Not the selfish thing. The fact that he liked her had to be ignored. She felt some emotional part of her detatch, leaving her with an odd sense of stillness. She found her voice came out steady and strong.

"If you won't tell me his schedule, I'll figure it out some other way. Millicent is the only reason I even started talking to you, and if you've decided to no longer help with the plan then I guess we have nothing left to discuss." She knew what she had said was the right thing to say. Still, she had to keep herself from tearing up. Why did she feel like she was breaking up with him? They hadn't even been together. Not really. Not officially. He was walking towards her now and she thought fast. His expression spoke volumes, but he remained silent. She used his silence against him. Every instinct she had said that he cared about her. That he no longer wanted to help with the plan because he didn't want her to get hurt. But he hadn't said it and she was free to assume the worst. It wouldn't be an unbelievable stretch for her to act as if she believed that he had no feelings for her at all. He had never actually said anything directly. He could have just been willing to take advantage of the situation to get laid. She had made it pathetically easy; admitting and giving in to her physical attraction for him with almost no hesitation. Maybe the school was right. Maybe she was just a slut.

She put out her hands and shoved him away, working up a rage she didn't really feel. He regained his balance quickly and grabbed her around the waist, tugging her in close. She tried to squirm away, but his hold remained tight. She wanted to hug him. Cling to him and not fight. Instead, she willed herself to stand still and glare up at him as he spoke. "It doesn't matter how this started…" She interrupted him quickly, fearing the next words that would come out of his mouth. She couldn't let him say it. Say that this was more than either of them could have hoped for. That he liked her. She wouldn't be able to handle it. So instead, she shoved against him and yelled.

"Of course it matters how this started! That's the whole point of all of this! You think I can just ignore someone getting hurt? That I won't help just because you don't want me too? Sod off! What I do or don't do with anyone is none of your concern! I can hold my own with Crabbe. And even if I can't, then I'll bear the consequences. What are you worried about? That Crabbe will end up being a better shag than you?" Ginny winced as his grip around her became painful. Red was rushing up his neck and onto his face. She was hurting him. It was cruel and unlike anything she had ever done before. A part of her hated herself in that moment.

"Take that back right now." She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. His face screwed up in anger as she made no move to apologize. Then in one quick move, he let go of her and stepped back. The physical relief of being free from his squeeze was eclipsed by the emotional ache of him letting go. "Fine. Care of Magical Creatures. It lets out at half past four. And Weasley? Don't underestimate him. You think I'm strong? Crabbe can break your arm as easily as breaking a branch."

She stood there, trying to soothe her nerves as Draco strode past her, hexed the door to slam open, and left the room without glancing at her. A part of her wanted to stay and cry, but she didn't. Taking a deep breath, she walked down the hall and continued with her day like normal until the end of class. Her last class let out at four, giving her a half hour to put her plan into action.

Confidently, she strode out onto the grounds, spotting Goyle and Crabbe coming up from Hagrid's hut. She made sure the desserts she had gotten from the kitchen were in plain sight as she neared them. A whole plate of cookies. Her heart was pounding as she heard Goyle say something to Crabbe. And then, as expected, she suddenly was blocked by two large Slytherins. "What do you have there Weasel?"

Ginny allowed herself to glare. "Have you gone blind? Any idiot knows what these are. Now get out of my way. I'm off to visit Hagrid." As predicted, they did not get out of her way but rather loomed over her threateningly. She sniffed. "Don't tell me you're still stealing sweets? How pathetic. And here I had heard you had moved on to bigger and badder things. Particularly you Crabbe. Though maybe I heard wrong." He glared at her and she forced herself to sneer.

"Oh don't try and prove me wrong now. Two on one? It would only prove that alone you're no more threatening than a pygmy puff." Ginny felt as if she was playing with fire. But it worked. Ginny put up a brief struggle as Crabbe wrested the cookies away from her, keeping up the pretense. And then Crabbe ordered Goyle to head in with the dessert, while he stayed to teach the little blood traitor a lesson. Ginny had her wand out as did Crabbe. Once Goyle had cleared out though, Ginny dropped her wand and smiled seductively. Or at least she hoped so. "You know, now that we're alone I'd really rather do something other than fight."

Crabbe's anger warred with puzzlement, and Ginny realized being blunt was perhaps the only way to go. "What do you say? Fancy a snog?" He shook his head, but only in confusion. Her patience was wearing thin. She knew she was being unreasonable, expecting him to understand so quickly. But maintaining her confidence was emotionally taxing and the faster this was done, the better. "But you're with Malfoy." Ginny fluttered her eyelashes and smiled coyly at him. "Well I suppose you'd just have to be my dirty secret." She could almost see his brain trying to work through what she was saying.

Crabbe was close to understanding. He just needed a little push. He was too tall for her to kiss him unawares; he was as tall as Ron, well over six feet. And so she'd have to work with what she could reach. Stepping up to him, she fingered his belt buckle and smiled up at him. "Find somewhere for us to meet and I promise you won't regret it. Malfoy won't let me have any fun except with him, but I bet you can find a way. You're so much taller, so much stronger, so much braver. What do you say?" His mouth had dropped open, the confusion gone. Still, Ginny couldn't afford to take chances. Voices carried over as a group of younger girls came walking up the hill, and Ginny came to a quick decision. Sliding her hand down, she cupped and squeezed him lightly before winking. "I'll be waiting." And then not giving him time to respond, she brushed past him and walked away.

She continued her trek towards Hagrid, forcing herself not to run, yet relieved that the other students had come. She had been in over her head. Thank Merlin he seemed to realize not to call out to her when there were other students around. She really had no idea what she would do if he ran after her. She hoped it had worked. That she had been alluring enough. That he would rise to the bait. And most importantly that he would be distracted enough to forget Millicent. He could only plan so much. And if he busy planning how to meet with her, he would have no time left over to plan how to get Millicent alone. At least, she hoped that was the case.

Knocking on Hagrid's door, she found she was looking forward to the visit. While she didn't know Hagrid nearly so well as Harry, Ron and Hermione did, she still thought he'd appreciate a visit. "Ginny! What'r you doin' 'ere? Come in! Come in! Just finished up class, don't rightly have refreshments ready." Ginny knew enough to realize this was actually a blessing, and was quick to assure him it was fine. Still, he whipped up some tea and Ginny settled in on an old, ratty chair that rather reminded her of home. For a few moments, Ginny was able to sip her tea in silence and relax.

It wasn't long though before Hagrid looked at her with a furrowed brow. "Now, what's all this I been hearing 'bout you and Malfoy?" Ginny sighed, and decided she was going to be honest. She needed someone to speak to after all. "I don't know what it is. I shouldn't like him. But I do. I like myself when I'm with him. This thing we have going, it's turned me from feeling depressed to being happy. Life is suddenly more exciting, more worth living." Hagrid grunted and took a swig out of a bottle. She waited and he sighed.

"I shouldn't be telling you this. I should be tellin' yeh to keep far away from the likes of him. But I suppose if he makes yeh happy. We all need a bit of happiness right now. It don't always make much sense. Just, be careful. He's a Malfoy, an' while he might not be evil, he's in over his head; anyone can see that, he's likely taken after his parents." Ginny couldn't help but feel slightly shocked. She had expected Hagrid to splutter, go red, shout that she was mad. Not remain calm and understanding.

"What do you mean take after his parents?" Hagrid eyed her. "Eh, you know. Selfish, proud, snobbish." She knew Hagrid was right. And she knew it should have her questioning why she wanted him. But it didn't. None of it really mattered for what they were doing. He wasn't enough of a snob that he insulted her or thought her unworthy of his attention. As for being proud, it would be like the pot calling the kettle black. Her family was the same as his, if not worse. Sensitive to insults or any smears upon their character. And Merlin help the person who acted as if her family needed charity or sympathy.

Hagrid might be right about him being selfish, but no one was perfect. Michael had been a follower, not able to do anything or go anywhere alone. It had been what made him like her so much, always tagging along on her adventures even if they were as simple as throwing rocks in the Lake. Dean had often thrown in muggle references without explanation, leaving her feeling confused and stupid. Not that he ever noticed.

Eventually, the conversation moved on to how she was faring under the Carrows. How horrible he felt watching her get tortured last week. How she was managing in her solitary confinement at night. Ginny asked if he had any news from Grawp. How he was finding teaching this year. She learned Snape was mostly ignoring the professors as long as they taught the ascribed curriculum. In fact, according to Hagrid, it wasn't nearly so unpleasant to have him as Headmaster as he had feared. All in all, they talked right up until dinner at which point they both made their way up to the Great Hall.

Ginny shivered slightly as she saw Crabbe hanging out by the castle doors, looking at her. He had apparently had plans to grab her right as she entered the building, but Hagrid's presence warned him off, and Ginny was able to make it to dinner unmolested. Still, it had brought home just what she had done. She hadn't really expected Crabbe to already try and make a grab at her. It had only been a couple of hours. She was going to have to be very careful tomorrow. She never thought she'd be as happy to have Filch escort her to her stone prison as she was that night.

The morning was another story. She had barely stepped out of her room when a disarming spell hit her. The spell was blunt and unskilled, but it did the job and her wand flew out of her robe pocket. It was Saturday and she had no books, nothing to hurl at him or hit him with except her bag that was stuffed with a cloak, hat, and mittens. Not exactly a weapon. This had not been the plan. The plan had been to outmaneuver him; keep him distracted. Flirt with him enough to keep him interested, but keep it at that. He wasn't here for her to just flirt with him. He expected her to live up to her words. Eyes wide, she took in Crabbe's appearance. Draco's words came back to her quickly. There was no way to overpower him physically. There was no one else around. She had dug herself into a hole.

She smiled at him and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "Well good morning. I knew you'd figure out a way." He looked her up and down before smiling slightly. She reminded herself to breathe as he walked towards her. Panicking was not going to help the situation. "Where does Malfoy think you are?" It might stall him. Might even scare him off. It didn't.

"Oh don't worry about him. Pucey had the whole team leave for the Pitch early this morning. Last minute practice before the game." Ginny forced a smile at the news. Of course. Draco had rejoined the team three days ago. The Slytherins had been over the moon about it, suddenly confident in a victory over Hufflepuff this afternoon.

"But enough talking. Let's see what's so great about you that he'd fuck you." Ginny yelped as he shoved her backwards. She threw her hands out to catch herself, and landed with both palms throbbing at the impact of a stone floor. She stared at him in disbelief. Did he not realize he had almost broken her tailbone? What would he have done if she had lost all her balance and hit her head? She wasn't sitting on the floor for long. He had his wand pointed at her, casting something she didn't know. She wasn't ignorant for long. Her hands shot up over her head, and she felt her wrists be bound together. As far as she knew, it was an invisible bond, but it was certainly strong. She went to twist her hips, desperate to get up, but she wasn't quick enough. He thudded down onto his knees and straddled her, effectively locking her body in place.

Don't panic, don't panic. "Crabbe, I promise I can give you a very good morning. But not tied up like this. I can't move." He just smiled cruelly at her. "Trust me, you can move all the parts you need to." Her breath left her as he used his hand to push her bound wrists onto the floor above her head. Her whole body lowered with the movement, and she found herself panicking. She could feel his mouth on her neck, his hands pawing at her body. She might have tried kicking, but his pelvis was large and heavy, crushing any possibility of her moving her thighs or hips. She heard fabric ripping and felt the cold air hit her stomach. She was in shock. How? How had he physically ripped apart a sweater like that? She felt his hands at her waistband and flung her arms up and over his neck. The invisible bond kept her wrists firmly together at the back of his neck. Pulling herself up to him, she kissed him with all that she had, desperate to distract him from unbuttoning her jeans.

She felt his surprise, and then she felt his eagerness. His hands switched to roaming over her back and Ginny continued to snog him. He was a messy kisser. Saliva was in abundance; he moved his lips too much and too often. It felt like he was trying to eat her face at times, the concept of puckering apparently lost on him. The skin around her mouth was getting wet. His breath was heavy and too warm. It felt as if she would slowly be smothered. And still she kept at it. As a distraction, it was working. In the back of her mind, she realized he might never have been kissed before. If her instincts were right, all his experience was in forced sex. She had very little doubt that binding spell he had used, was what he used on Millicent when he wanted her body.

Eventually, the need for fresh, cold air was too much and Ginny broke away. "Untie me Crabbe. Let me kiss you where you most want it." It was an easy decision. Anything to avoid actual sex. He only stared at her in confusion. "Huh?" Faced with having to say it, explain it, Ginny lost her nerve. She switched tactics. Maybe he could be satisfied with less.

"Untie me, and I can teach you how to kiss better." For a moment, she thought it had worked. And then he glared at her, yanking her arms off of him and back onto the floor. "I don't need some blood traitor slut tellin' me how to kiss. Girls are only good for one thing anyway."

She felt herself crumble. The plan, Millicent, she couldn't seem to care. Couldn't remember what she was doing here or how she had gotten here. All she knew was she did not want this. To hell with the consequences. Twisting, thrashing any part of her body she could, she tried to escape. Her fear did nothing but excite him more and more. She cried as he unbuttoned her jeans and began to scream when he went to pull them down. His hand came up and slapped her hard across the face. Her face stung. Throbbed. Her nose must be broken. She must be bleeding. It felt as if a bludger had hit her in the face. She was going to vomit. Why couldn't she breathe?

"Get off of her Vince." Ginny was too far gone to register what was happening. As his weight left her, she did nothing but curl up into a fetal position and cry. There was shouting. She could hear threats, but couldn't care what they were about. She didn't seem to be able to register anything until a hand came down on her back. Her entire body convulsed in an effort to get away from the touch, but it worked to bring her back to her surroundings.

Sitting on the floor next to her was Millicent Bulstrode with Daphne Greengrass standing behind her. Ginny averted her eyes. She was ashamed, embarrassed, and feeling very much like an idiot. She hadn't been able to handle Crabbe. If not for these girls, he wouldn't have stopped. Was this what Millicent felt? He hadn't even managed to…he had been stopped and she couldn't handle it. How did the girl do it? How did she go through her days knowing he was there?

"Weasley, you can't breathe a word of this." Ginny forced herself to look up at Daphne, but found she wasn't ready to speak yet. Millicent bit her lip and then squeezed Ginny's hand. "You did it. You saved me. I know it wasn't the plan, but it worked." She looked at Millicent in a daze. She had done what? She had done nothing. What was Millicent talking about?

"We noticed Vince wasn't at breakfast and I had a hunch. Thank Merlin he wasn't clever enough to take you somewhere else. I don't know how you did it, but you convinced him to go after you. And then you fought him! Do you realize what you did? By fighting him, you turned it into an attack. An attack against you, Malfoy's fuck toy! Oh, sorry. That's just what you're being called. Anyway, if Draco finds out, he'll be able to attack Vince over it. Everyone would understand why. And we saw it, meaning our memories are now blackmail against Vince. As long as you don't tell Draco of course."

Ginny's tears had dried and she was able to sit up. She had done it? Looking at Millicent, it was an easy decision. How could she not do whatever she could for this girl? If her silence meant Millicent and Daphne could blackmail Crabbe, then she wouldn't breathe a word. "Not a word. I swear. Use it Millicent; you too Daphne. If he ever threatens one of you again, tell him you'll let Draco see the whole thing." While there might not be many pensives lying around, the fact that Draco was able to perform Legilimency was widely believed. Apparently he actually was an occlumens, so the rumour hadn't been hard to spread.

"Here, I'll go get you something to borrow. I'll be back in ten minutes." Ginny wiped her eyes and nodded in appreciation as Millicent got up and hurried down the corridor. She found herself alone with Daphne who was staring at her strangely. "I know you're helping my friend, but I really don't know what to say to you." Ginny felt the same, so she only shrugged.

"I think I could respect you, if not for your atrocious morals. In a way it was a dreadful thing for Draco to do. Did he even warn you your reputation would be left in shreds? That no decent wizard would want to marry you now?" Ginny felt her back straighten and her eyes narrow. Daphne knew she had known about Crabbe and Millicent. Apparently, Millicent hadn't told her about the plan though. Which meant that what Daphne was saying, was only the nice version of what every other girl in this castle probably thought of her.

Still, she hated hearing it. "He's not going to marry you, you know." The worst thing was that Daphne was saying it kindly. As if she really thought telling Ginny all this was the best thing she could do. Ginny tried to keep her voice level. Not to let too much anger seep through. She probably failed. "You want to call me immoral? People are killing, imprisoning, and torturing people for no other reason than they have muggle heritage. People are targeting anyone who refuses to participate in persecuting innocent people. And you're worried about my promiscuity? Wake up Greengrass. If you want to worry about people having a lack of morals, just look at the newspapers. Their souls are in much more danger than mine."

Daphne had gone pale. "You can't say things like that!" Ginny glared back, unable to stop herself. "Why? Are you going to report me?"

"You're mad! Completely mad!" And with that, Daphne turned and ran down the passageway, leaving Ginny all alone. When Millicent came back with a top for Ginny to wear, she took in the scene and sighed. "Here. I'll always appreciate what you did. If I can ever help you out, just let me know." And then Millicent was gone too and Ginny found herself strangely sad. She had never had a large group of friends like some girls. She had never been part of a clique. She was used to her own company or the company of boys. But right now, she found herself wishing Millicent had stayed. She wanted a girl to talk to.

Dejectedly, she removed her ripped sweater, put on Millicent's top, and went to retrieve her wand. Breakfast must be long over by now. She slunk into the kitchens, and a house elf was kind enough to let her pick at the leftovers. She hadn't thought she could eat, but she found herself nibbling as she wondered what to do. The problem was she didn't feel up for company at the moment. She couldn't just hide out here all day though. Eventually, she took to just wandering the castle, making small talk with the portraits and having a short conversation with Nearly Headless Nick, who thought it an outrage a Gryffindor was being forced to sleep in the dungeons. By lunch, she was smiling slightly.

One look at her housemates, and she knew her face must look as bad as it felt. Swollen and bruised. She grabbed some potatoes and simply said "Carrow." Neville all but steamed in his seat. "Speaking of, there's talk that another detention is slated for tonight." Ginny's mouth opened in horror.

It seemed nothing could keep her from getting swept up in the energy of the Great Hall though. It was by far, the most excitement regarding a Quidditch match all year. The fact that Malfoy was flying again raced through all four tables. He hadn't been seen on a broom in over a year, and everyone was expecting big things. She was quietly thankful that the throng around him kept him from seeing her. She could hear his voice and laughter carry through the hall, and marveled slightly at how at ease he seemed, being the center of attention.

Seamus and Neville didn't leave her side as they made their way to the Pitch after lunch. Ginny and Seamus created prop bets on the game up until the whistle blew, and it felt like old times. She had made sure one of the prop bets was about how fast Malfoy would catch the snitch, thus giving her the perfect excuse to cheer him on. Her bet had been he caught it in the first 30 minutes. Near the twenty minute mark, her cheers turned into loud, colorful cursing. His strategy was obvious, and the opposite of what she had bet on. She thought he would give it his all, determined to make a good first impression and make the crowds roar with applause. That the game would be over in no time. She didn't count on him putting the team before himself.

As seeker, he seemed to spot the snitch before performing high notch maneuvers and tricks in pursuit of it. His routes were so complex, it left the Hufflepuff seeker flying ridiculous looking circles in an effort to keep track of him. And more importantly, the rest of the Hufflepuff team became distracted looking at him, certain he was about to catch the snitch and end the game. The Slytherin team used the distraction to score goals, and by the thirty minute mark the score was 110-40. The Hufflepuff team did eventually learn to ignore his fancy tricks, and Ginny was positive that was the end of it. After having pulled no stunts for twenty minutes, he laid flat on his broom and shot across the field.

Ginny was certain he had spotted and caught the snitch. So were the Hufflepuffs. So it was a great surprise when he sat up and began circling the field again. She looked over at the score in dismay and found the Slytherins had somehow scored 30 more points while everyone had been watching him. By the time he finally did catch the snitch two hours into the game, Ginny was spitting nails. The final score stood at 340-90, enough points for the Slytherin team to have overtaken the point lead for the House Cup by a wide margin. How was Gryffindor ever going to make up the difference?

She was ready to kill him, and then she realized she had no one but herself to blame. She had been the one who told him to rejoin the team. What a bloody idiot she was! As the teams landed and the stands emptied out, she wanted nothing more than to go find him. Tell him how mad she was at him, how proud she was of him, and then snog him senseless. But it was impossible. He had been carried off by a jovial Slytherin hoard, and was no doubt going to be celebrating with them all night. It was the first time she really felt the sting of not having a public claim on him. Not being able to do the things a girlfriend would do.

No one was surprised that most of Slytherin didn't show up for dinner. Ginny realized it was probably the first party of the year, and hoped that it wouldn't be the last. The entire student body was still abuzz over the game. Only Neville remained silent, watching the Carrows out of the corner of his eye. As it turned out, there was no one called up for detention that night, and Ginny breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe it had only been a rumour. After all, what type of school would torture students for detention? What had happened to her was an anomaly. It must have been. Overall, things were on the up and up. Crabbe was being blackmailed, everyone was safe, and Quidditch had injected a happiness into the school that was long overdue.


	8. Hanging On

**Chapter 8: Hanging On**

"I'm going to run you down you fucking bitch!" Ginny grinned and leaned down even further, almost parallel with her broomstick. In her left arm was the quaffle. She had just outmaneuvered Pucey, who was now recovering from a blow to the stomach. She had come in at him sideways, throwing her body weight into his chest. Her momentum had forced him back and she had used the move to snatch the quaffle away from him.

She felt a tug and she was forced to let go of the quaffle to grip her broom handle. He had gotten just close enough to grab her bristles and yank, causing her broom to go up into a 90 degree angle. Flattening out, she spotted him about 40 feet below her headed for the left most hoop. Throwing her body forward and down, she made a straight line for him.

Draco had been right about Pucey. Flying against him was the biggest challenge she'd ever experienced. She had tried to get Draco to fly against her, but he had begged off, saying he'd rather not subject himself to unnecessary bruising. Instead, he had told her to challenge Pucey to a one-on-one match up in front of others. That his ego wouldn't allow him to reject the proposal. He had been right. Pucey had been red with rage when she implied she could fly circles around him in front of their whole Charms class, and had quickly demanded they find out their next free period just who was the better chaser. They had both enjoyed the challenge of it, and had quickly scheduled the next round.

The castle bells chimed two, and both sixth years landed, Ginny grimacing as Pucey gloated. "And that takes the total up 5 to 3 I believe." She yanked her pads off, angry with herself more than anything. It had been so close today. Winning today's match would have tied it up. It was a simple score. Whoever was in possession of the quaffle when the bells chimed won.

"Yes well don't get too comfortable on that high horse of yours. We'll see who wins the real match tomorrow." It was the first time Gryffindor and Slytherin were playing each other since Draco had rejoined the team, but Ginny still felt confident. She might prefer being a chaser, but she was a decent seeker. Not to mention, Draco was still getting back into it. Granted, he had crushed the Hufflepuff seeker. But he still only had one game and four weeks of practice under his belt.

"Shove off. Malfoy ought to fuck you right into the ground tonight. Leave you too sore to do anything on a broom." Ginny flushed and went for her wand, hurling a hex at him that would have him sneezing out cockroaches. He dodged it, and grabbed his own wand. "Try that again and I'll report you to the Carrows!" Ginny stood there, frozen with rage. He sneered and levitated his stuff to stash it in the changing room.

The Carrows had not been satisfied with torturing her. It turned out Neville had been right about the detentions. A fifth year had been the latest victim, crucioed in the middle of dinner and left to sob as everyone else was forced to eat and pretend nothing was wrong. It was now apparently the go to punishment for any upper classman. Snape had done nothing except draw the line at not torturing students under fourth year. He had explained that the cruciatus curse was too likely to mess up the minds of the youngest students, so instead an alternative had been created.

The alternative was little better. Two third year boys who had been late coming back from Hogsmeade had been given a detention two weeks ago, and everyone had held their breath. Filch had come out with chains, grinning madly. Seamus and Ginny had to work to hold Neville down, not willing to let him get tortured again. He had just gone through it three days ago for ruining a crop of julbees. Neville had refused to let Professor Sprout take the blame, insisting he had done it while helping her after class. His torture had been the longest any of them had ever seen. It had made no sense until Ginny found out the julbees were an ingredient for a potion that forced people to babble. Draco had explained it to her, adding that many let out secrets when under its influence. No doubt the death eaters had been planning to use it.

The boys had been chained spread eagle, left there all night, only released at breakfast. Unchained, they had barely moved. Both boys had gone into a sort of fetal position and sobbed on the floor, screaming in pain when professors went to go help them up. It was horrible and completely inhumane.

Leaving her stuff in her locker, she grabbed her bag and headed back into the castle. She had one more class to get through before the weekend. Heading up the stairs, she was hit with a cold blast of water. Spinning, she stupefied her attacker, but she was outnumbered. As she went to hex another of the group, Astoria was able to disarm her and Ginny curled her fists up, ready to fight if she had to. "Oh calm down Weasel. We were just trying to help. Thought a cold shower might keep you from being such a complete slag." Ginny leapt for the girl, but one of her friends cast a shield charm before she could make contact. Astoria's fear was soon replaced by cool disgust.

This wasn't the first time something like this had happened. Draco was climbing back to the top of his house, more so than ever before. And it seemed as their admiration for him increased, their jealously towards her flared. Her life would be much easier if she just let him go. But she couldn't. In an odd twist, their relationship was now what was protecting Millicent. If the school thought he had lost interest in her, that their sexual relations had stopped, it was unclear if Crabbe would still be as worried about Draco's reaction to him trying to force Ginny into sex. It was possible the blackmail would lose its effectiveness in Crabbe's view, and he would have free reign to terrorize the girls again.

Forcing herself to get up and walk away, Ginny made for her last class. She refused to think of herself as being bullied. Who cared what people called her? What they thought of her? The people that mattered knew she was still herself. Only two more weeks, and she'd be home for Christmas surrounded by family. She didn't know if she had ever been so eager for the holidays. She couldn't help but count down the days, wishing time would move faster, even knowing how much Draco was dreading it.

She knew he hated seeing his parents like they were now; powerless and terrified. She knew her own parents were likely to have developed worry lines as well. Where in the world were Harry, Ron and Hermione spending Christmas? While she knew no news was good news, it was still worrisome. It had all bottled up the other day, and she had practically drenched Draco's robe as he held her and let her sob onto his shoulder. He hadn't even asked what it was about. He had just pulled them into the nearest unused room, and silencioed the area.

They were still able to meet fleetingly whenever their free periods overlapped during the day. As long as the school only saw them snogging or heading to an empty room together, the pretense that they were not emotionally involved seemed to stick. They never had a conversation in front of others. There was no hand holding. There was no defending the other from friends' comments. There was no hint at all that they even thought about each other, other than to fuck, much less care about the other. Neither of their personalities changed. In fact, they seemed more like their usual selves than ever before. Malfoy was loud and obnoxious again, smirking and basking in the limelight. Ginny was fiery and independent, talking about and practicing Quidditch more than ever before.

The biggest change in Ginny recently, was something that she didn't allow anyone to see. Not even Draco. It had been a month now of being with him, and she was quite terrified that she was falling for him. While she found herself excitedly anticipating their short meetings during the day, she absolutely pined for Sunday nights. He had been in her room every Sunday night, always performing the glamour on his bed and making sure he brought his things for Monday morning. He had explained Sunday was the best night for it when she had asked if he could come more often. It was the night people spent frantically catching up on homework they had pushed off all weekend, and then collapsed into bed to get some sleep before Monday classes. His Monday schedule involved being the only Slytherin taking NEWT level Arthimacy at 8:40 am, and as such, his dorm mates were used to waking up and him already being gone. It was the only day he felt he could take the risk, and Ginny had to reluctantly agree.

Every Sunday night was different, but it was always special. The Sunday after the Hufflepuff match, it had been a complete surprise to see him. She had still been worried he was mad at her, having not gotten a chance to speak to him since she had told him she was going after Crabbe. She had said those nasty things, and he had left in anger. But as it turned out, she hadn't completely driven him away. On Sunday, Draco had finally spotted her bruised face during breakfast, but hadn't gotten a chance to ask about it. Ginny had been hauled off to do homework with the seventh year Gryffindors in the library, and he had been in high demand all day. People were eager to relive game highlights with him and there had been no opportunity to leave the Common Room naturally. Not unless he was prepared to yell at them to leave him alone, which would be much too suspicious. He had finally decided to tell them he had to get homework done after dinner, he would see them tomorrow, and had trailed after Ginny and Filch just as he had last time.

Ginny had jumped and grabbed for her wand when she first felt his hand on her shoulder, terrified Crabbe had somehow made it into her room. His disillusionment charm faded, and Ginny was left staring at his confused and worried expression. Her pulse was still racing from fear, and her hand was still tightly grasping her wand. They had stared at each other for what seemed countless minutes before Ginny's wand clattered to the ground and she was clinging to him. His arms immediately went around her and he listened carefully to her muffled apology being spoken against his shoulder. "I'm sorry, you were right. I didn't know what I was doing. I should have let you come up with a plan." Alarmed, he had pulled back and studied her face carefully. "Tell me what happened." Ginny had only shaken her head.

"Everything worked out alright. Crabbe will no longer hurt Millicent or Daphne, and that's all you need to know. I just, it turned out I needed help. That alone, maybe I wasn't ready to take on Crabbe. It could have gone badly but it didn't. Daphne, Millicent, and I were able to deal with it together, and the less you know the better." He went to ask another question, and Ginny leaned forward to give him a peck on the lips. "Honestly Draco. It only works if you don't know. You'll have to trust me. Or, trust the three of us. Do you really believe Daphne and Millicent would have come up with a flawed plan?" He had reluctantly let the issue go, and Ginny had found it very therapeutic to spend the night letting Draco slowly and gently caress her, erasing memories of Crabbe as he went.

It was in her room on Sunday nights that they had the opportunity to do what they didn't dare do in classrooms during the day. They explored each other's bodies, curious to figure out how to pry reactions from each other. Ginny found kissing his inner wrists was an easy way to push him closer to the edge, making his thrusts become erratic. She found lightly scratching his stomach made his cock twitch, and grow just a little harder. And she found that biting his shoulder was immensely satisfying for both of them. He learned whispering in her ear made her writhe, and that her inner thighs were wonderfully sensitive.

But perhaps even more important than the sex was the feeling she got afterwards, cuddled into him and feeling completely at peace. For that one night a week, they were able to let go completely. They were able to be selfish, and only care about their own physical comfort. They both needed it, and neither was worried about being judged for it. For needing to be held; needing to cling to someone else. Around their friends, they both worked hard to be brave, cheerful, and confident. They were both role models for others, and they couldn't let others see the cracks.

At times, it felt like the whole school was looking at them. Supporters of one side looking to Draco, and supporters of the other side looking to Ginny. She didn't know how Draco did it. On her side, Neville was looked at as a leader just as much, if not more than her. And people like Luna, Seamus, Lavender, and Pavarti helped share the responsibility as well. They were all essentially of the same rank; veterans of the DA and on their way to becoming Order members. Draco didn't have the same type of comradery with anyone. He was alone amongst the students, singled out as the only deatheater and the only one to have met the Dark Lord in person. Not only that, but he had to hide that he didn't actually want to be a deatheater. She couldn't help but think that the pressure must be crushing.

At this point, even if the issue of Crabbe didn't exist, she didn't know if she would give Draco up. Even taking into account the harassment she endured for it, a part of her enjoyed the school knowing that there was something going on between her and Malfoy. That their relationship wasn't a complete secret. It made her feel a little more honest, and a little less guilty about lying to her friends.

"Ready to completely obliterate Slytherin?" Ginny looked across the table laden with breakfast food, and smirked. Jannice's eyes were alight with the competitiveness of any good Quidditch captain. Simply winning today's match wasn't going to be enough. They had won their last match against Ravenclaw by a measly 90 points, and were still trailing Slytherin for the House Cup. They would have to beat Slytherin by at least 160 to overtake them.

"That little gold ball is mine. Just score as fast as you can, and leave the rest to me." She refused to acknowledge the butterflies in her stomach. The butterflies that were there because deep down she knew Draco was a better seeker than her. She knew he wasn't going to go easy on her. Where Quidditch was involved, all bets were off. He would be just as ruthless as her. She only hoped she wouldn't look as ridiculous as the Hufflepuff seeker had. With a fierce determination, she forced another piece of toast down and continued talking smack.

The stands were bursting with screams, every student in Hogwarts out in the freezing cold determined to see the last game before Chirstmas break. It was hard to make out any particular student. It was a sea of cloaks, hats, mittens, and scarves. She knew older students had likely cast warming charms, vainly trying to combat the bite of Scottish winds. There were no warming charms down here. The teams stood in terse silence, ready to shoot up into the air as soon as the whistle went. Ginny watched Jannice's mouth tighten as Pucey shook her hand and felt a stab of sympathy. No doubt Pucey was crushing her hand. She felt a fierce pride at Jannice's determination to not give away any sign of pain.

And then quick as a wink, the handshake was over, the whistle had blown, and Ginny was high in the air. If she hadn't had goggles for protection, she was sure she would be flying blind. Her eyes would have squinted shut and teared up at how cold and windy it was. Looking down at the chasers, she knew that it was going to be tough for even the first step of their plan to work. Ideally, she wouldn't catch the snitch until her team was up by 10. Pucey was the best chaser down there though, and stopping him was going to be tough. "Gin!" Her eyes widened as Tiberius flew straight at her, his bat knocking away a bludger that had been on course to crush her shoulder. She had to get it together! Shouting thanks, she zoomed around the Pitch and watched desperately for a glimmer of gold.

The commentary became background noise as she made herself concentrate and eventually she had to ignore the movements of the chasers and the quaffle. It was too distracting. She had already almost missed Draco flying towards the right hoop. He had spotted the snitch without her notice, and had been making his way over to grab it without alarming anyone to its presence. Unable to get to him in time to stop him, she had yelled at Rhydian who managed to smash a bludger that way, enough of a disruption for the snitch to speed off again. At that, Draco had looked over at her and yelled, his first acknowledgement of her the entire game. She knew he had cursed her out. Although the wind hadn't carried his words, his expression was more than enough to figure out the gist. She smiled at him, and then turned her broom to fly off.

She didn't know exactly how long the game had gone on for. It had been long enough for her feet and fingers to freeze though, and her muscles were sore from tensing against the cold. She had come to the realization that they weren't going to win by 160 points. The score was 90-50, with Slytherin in the lead. It didn't look likely that Gryffindor was going to leap ahead anytime soon. Maybe the best thing was to just grab the Snitch and end the game early. Try and minimize damage. Even having come to this conclusion though, she found there was the small issue of finding the snitch. It was nowhere.

Then suddenly she saw it. A glint off by the stands. Draco was already racing towards it, but she was closer. Adrenaline pumping through her, she lay flat and willed her broom to go faster. Sensing the chase, the snitch took off, plunging down to the ground. Fuck. Chasers never had to dive all the way down like this. The ground was coming closer, and her heart jumped into her throat. She needed to pull up. At this angle, she was going to crash. Just as she was contemplating jumping off of her broom to try and grab the snitch as she rolled onto the ground, the snitch suddenly switched directions, flying straight up. Both of them went to flip their broom's angles. Ginny switched her angle as fast as possible while staying on her broom. Draco did it faster. So fast that his broom was nearly vertical. The abrupt switch in direction and extreme angle had forced his body off the broom.

Ginny could only look on in horror as he flew straight up into the wind, his body connected to his broom only by one, clutching hand. Even as his other hand reached out to snatch the snitch out of the air, she found herself unable to move.

That had been dangerous, reckless, and not bloody fair! He had flattened his broom out and slowed it down in order to collapse onto it. He looked exhausted, breathless, and proud. She wanted to scream. In the calmest conditions, flying vertically was tough. Flipping your broom so quickly that your legs flew off and you could only clutch the broom with your hands? Dangerous and beyond difficult. Flying like that in windy conditions and with only one hand on the broom? She knew she wouldn't have been able to do it. She would have lost her grip and fallen to the ground. That Draco had just done that, he had only managed to do it because of his arm strength. The arm strength that no matter what, boys just naturally seemed to have more of. How dare he! He had used his gender against her. Won with a move that she couldn't do. Not because she lacked talent as a flyer. Because she lacked arm strength as a girl.

She didn't have her wand up here. Players weren't allowed to have them during games. Too much risk of cheating that way. So with no option to hex or curse him, she did the only thing she could. Flying down to grab the quaffle out of Jannice's hands, she flew right at him and chucked it with all of her strength. "You fucking twat! How dare you!" Completely taken by surprise, he wasn't able to dodge it. The quaffle slammed into chest, and the impact sent him and his broom spinning backwards. She continued to fly towards him, ranting and raving, uncaring of the fact that he was still trying to regain control of his broom. "Bloody pillock! Cheating bastard! That wasn't bloody fair!"

She felt herself being restrained, and looking back realized it was Tiberius who had his arm around her chest, trying to pull her back. He was strong enough that it was working, and he was only a fourth year. Bloody boys. More infuriated than before, Ginny screamed at him to let her go, but by that time Madame Hooch had made her way up.

"Miss Weasley! Desist immediately! While I know loosing is distressing, there was no foul play." She wanted to cry. That was the worst part of all of this. There hadn't been foul play. What Draco had done was completely legal. Madame Hooch flew next to her as she made her way back down to the ground. As if she was some insane creature that had to be watched. With the professor's attention on her, she had no choice but to stomp to the changing rooms quietly. She tore off her Quidditch gear and tried to get a hold if herself. Now that the moment had passed, she realized what she had done was not particularly sporting. She knew there were hardly any women in Professional Quidditch for a reason. If she was serious about pursuing it, she was going to have to develop a thicker skin. She couldn't just blow up like that.

Not in the mood to speak to anyone, much less the two other girls in there, she showered, changed, and left the changing room alone. That had possibly been a mistake. Two of the Slytherin players had been exiting the boys' changing room and stopped at the sight of her. "Oi Malfoy! Get out here!" She should have continued to walk, try to avoid the situation. There was no way for this to go well.

Draco came out with wet hair and no shirt, a look of annoyance on his face. "What!" The Slytherins just smirked, and Draco turned his head to stare at her. Shit. It didn't matter that deep down she knew that he liked her. She had attacked him, yelled at him, and he was annoyed at best. Furious at worst. Not only that, but they were in public and their audience was getting bigger every minute. The other players were coming out to see what was happening, and Ginny knew even her teammates wanted to know what he would say.

His eyes narrowed and Ginny squashed the impulse to apologize. She'd do it later. When they were alone. For now, she puffed up her chest and clutched her wand. "You stupid bint. Attacking me over a hundred feet in the air? How dare you. Learn your place Weasely." And then she felt it. She gasped as her muscles burned. Her wand dropped before she could cast any counter curse, not that she knew one. She cried out as she fought it, but it was in vain. Her body collapsed, until she was on her hands and knees. He lifted whatever spell he had been using, and the pressure left her body. Yet her body was so sore and exhausted, she simply knelt there as he walked over and yanked on her hair. She shrieked at the sharp pain, and tried to tilt her head to relieve the pressure. "Don't forget who has the power here. If I wanted, that spell could have left you flat on the ground, feeling completely crushed. Do you understand?"

She knew what he was getting at; to be more careful. That there were nasty spells out there and she ought to make sure she didn't piss off the wrong people. But Merlin help her, she was not going to just let him win a public fight. Besides, she really needed him to let go of her hair. It was more painful than she thought he realized. Her wand out of reach, she set her jaw and then punched him right in the crotch.

A loud chorus of sympathetic winces came from all around them as Draco cursed. She barely noticed. He had let go of her hair and retreated to clutch himself, giving her just enough time to lunge for her wand and run. "Weasley!" She only ran faster. If he hadn't been angry at her before, he certainly would be now. Her eyes widened as she saw a flash of red go past her, missing her by inches. He was shooting jinxes.

Crashing through the doors to the castle, she looked around wildly. Large groups of students were still in the entrance hall, still bundled up from watching the Quidditch match. Bugger. The last thing she needed right now was another public confrontation with him. She needed to escape. "Get out of the way!" The second years that had been sitting on the steps only stared at her. Hearing Draco burst into the castle behind her, she whipped out her wand and sent them flying. Not far or anything. Just a foot or so, enough to clear space for her to race up the stairwell. She heard the commotion as the students watched the chase, and she had the brief thought of how ridiculous it must look. Draco was running after her with no shirt on, looking as if he wanted to kill her.

She was sure they would once again be the topic of conversation come dinner. Turning, she ran down the empty corridor to one of the rooms they had used many times in the past month. No one was up here. She began warding the room for silence and privacy, even as she heard Draco come in. He stood there waiting for her to finish warding, and Ginny felt her anxiety lower slightly. She knew he was angry, but she could handle it if they were alone.

It was time to apologize. "Don't say it. I know I lost my temper on the Pitch. It was just so bloody aggravating! You could only do that move because you're stronger. You only won because of your muscles!" She was shouting again, all of her anger rising up again.

His voice remained normal. "If you want to go that route, you only caught up to me because you weigh less, letting you go faster. If my muscles are an unfair advantage, so is your body weight. So stop whinging." That brought her up short. She stared at him, processing what he said. And then a giggle escaped. She couldn't help but laugh, even as Draco furrowed his brow and looked at her in irritation. He was right in what he had said. It was just the sheer irony of the situation. Never could she have ever imagined this. Being told by Malfoy of all people, to stop whinging. The boy who had spent his adolescence turning whinging into an art form. The boy who had practically invented grievances against himself for the express purpose of being able to whinge about them.

Once she managed to regain control of herself and tell him why she was laughing, his irritation dissipated. Instead of being offended or angry, his eyes glinted, and he reached out to grab her hand. "While I see your point, I should mention that my whinging was always strategic. It got me what I wanted, most of the time at least. As for what you did, what was your tantrum supposed to achieve exactly?" Ginny couldn't figure out what he was getting at, although she did let him yank her into his arms. "It didn't achieve anything. I was just mad."

He smirked and she was caught by just how attractive he was. Who cared what he was talking about? He was here, holding her, and obviously no longer angry. Any feelings of anger or disappointment about Quidditch felt long ago and far away. "I think you just wanted my attention." And then he kissed her. Ginny didn't bother arguing the point. She kissed back and decided that even if it hadn't been her intention, getting his attention had been a wonderful effect.

Pulling back from him, Ginny felt incredibly peaceful. If she could just be with him all the time, she thought she'd be the least stressed witch on Earth. She didn't know why it worked or what it meant, but she knew she didn't want to lose the feeling. "Sorry for punching you." She wouldn't have done it if her reputation hadn't been at stake. It was important to her that people still saw her as a fighter. His hands began to roam her body slowly while he pretended to think. She kept herself from rolling her eyes and waited. He had forgiven her, she could tell. This was all just an act now. "Well, I suppose I should be mad about that. Anyone else, they'd be hexed to bits. As it's you though, I suppose I'll just let you make it up to me tomorrow night."

She looked at him coyly, and lightly brushed her hand against the area she had punched not ten minutes ago. "Hmm, I don't know if I approve of that. That sounds suspiciously like favouritism." She had expected him to smirk, take it as a joke, banter back. Instead, he pinned her under a rather serious look and she felt her smile disappear. "It is very much favouritism. In fact, you Virginia Weasley have become my favourite person in this entire castle." Ginny's heart beat faster, and a huge smile overtook her face. She had known he liked her well enough. But that sounded very much as if he really liked her. Possibly as much as she liked him.

And at the same time, it showed they still had a ways to go. She managed not to laugh as she spoke, but couldn't help but feel amused. "Draco, that was very sweet but my name isn't Virginia." His easy smile changed into a look of alarm, but he needn't have been worried. She realized that she wasn't offended. There was really no way for him to have known. No one ever called her anything but Ginny or Gin, after all. "My full name is Ginevra Molly Weasely. Am I right in assuming yours is Draco Lucius Malfoy?" He nodded of course, his family having followed naming tradition just as hers had.

"Ginevra. Hm. I can see why you go by Ginny, but it's a good name. It sounds strong, powerful. I think it suits you." She could only stare at him. Outside of her parents, no one had ever told her that they thought her name suited her. Was he out of his mind? "It does not. It makes me sound old and fussy." He laughed and she huffed indignantly, even though she really didn't mind. In fact, she was rather happy. She loved seeing him laugh.

"Ginny! Are you here?" The ease and laughter disappeared in an instant. While the room was warded to deflect attention and keep out sound, it didn't make the room undetectable. From the banging noises, it seemed they were opening doors and they would soon get to this one.

Ginny and Draco looked at each other with wide eyes, and the same thought passed between them. Draco not getting revenge on her would hurt his reputation far more than it would help hers. Ginny braced herself. "Just do it." Draco seemed frozen until the sound of another door banging open snapped him out of it. Grabbing the back of her head, he gave her a crushing kiss before pointing his wand at her and muttering 'vento tempestas malum'. Ginny was whisked into the air by what seemed a small wind storm. She winced as the wind stung her. It was as if she was being beaten by a hundred small lashes. It lasted less than a minute, but it left her sprawled on the floor, her hair and clothes a complete mess. Any part of her that was touching the ground was stinging uncomfortably, and tears welled up into her eyes.

She went to look up at Draco, and found he had already slammed the door open. "Over here Longbottom. She's all yours. I got what I wanted out of her." Unable to see what was happening, Ginny strained her ears for any noise. She heard Neville shout a hex, and then a long string of bangs, crashes, and incantations. Eventually she heard Seamus cut through the noise. He had been hexed with something painful enough to make him yell, but not horrible enough to keep him from cursing up a storm. She heard running feet as the hexes stopped. Faintly, she heard Draco walking away, threatening them to stay out of his way or he'd do something worse next time. It probably should have made her indignant on her friends' behalf, but she only felt relieved. Draco had managed to keep his reputation without her friends getting seriously hurt. How did she know they weren't hurt? They were already up and coming in through the door. And they came in fighting.

"I'll be fine. Stop touching it!"

"You need neddlewart. It'll combat the swelling."

"Who are yeh? Me mum?"

"I'm just trying to help! Go to the Hospital Wing; there's plenty there."

"I'm not going round with this am I? Have half the school laughing their arses off?"

"So that's it? You're going to suffer for your ego?"

Seamus ignored the last comment in favour of finally looking over towards her. Red raced up his neck and he groaned. "I could've gone my whole life not seeing this. Couldn't he just hex you? Cover you with boils or turn your hair into snakes or something?" Ginny tried to keep her confusion from showing. Neville didn't. "What are you talking about? He did hex her. Don't you see the red marks on her?"

Seamus was now beet red. "Aye. I'm not blind! But you don't think she looks so disheveled from hexes, do ya?" Realization struck Ginny. She didn't know if he had done it on purpose, but she wouldn't be surprised if he had. With her clothes and hair wrinkled and tangled, it must look like she had just been very physically used.

She glared up at Seamus. "Well close your eyes then! Who asked you to come find me anyhow?" She didn't know if Neville still hadn't grasped what it looked like. If he did, he seemed to have decided to ignore it. "We were coming to help! We thought he was attacking you!"

She just raised her eyebrow and looked at Seamus. He avoided her eyes, giving up any responsibility for explaining any of it. She sighed, and turned back to Neville in anger. She did appreciate the sentiment, but it would be horribly inconvenient and stupid to let Neville think he needed to save her from Malfoy. "Neville, the way he attacks me is nothing I need or want help with." Neville looked ready to counter, and this was apparently too much for Seamus. Overcoming his embarrassment, he spun around and nearly shouted at Neville.

"Just leave it! Unless she's about to tell us he raped her, I don't need to know anything else. Did he?" Ginny forced herself to not suddenly go shy, and stared back at Seamus. "It was revenge. Make of that what you will. But no, I don't need either of you worrying about what he does to me." Neville frowned. "I don't think what you're doing is healthy. He's manipulating you somehow."

Ginny knew he was being a good friend. A better friend than she deserved honestly. A part of her just wanted to tell him the truth. Tell him Draco was actually very nice to her. That they talked and possibly knew each other better than anyone else in the castle knew either of them. That he would hold her when she was upset. That he worried and cared about her. Instead, she told them the most important part. "I'm better because of him, and you know it. Do you remember October? When I was barely speaking, sad, depressed, and constantly worried? And now, now I can be happy. Excited about life."

Seamus grinned. "You mean you're back to being loud and obnoxious. Figures Malfoy would be to blame. Lavender's still in a snit about you throwing those snowballs." Ginny smirked slightly, remembering. Last Tuesday had brought the first big snowfall to Hogwarts. Ginny had coerced people into a snowball fight, and had pelted Lavender mercilessly when she had called it childish.

Deprived of an ally, Neville seemed to give in. He sighed and began to instead talk about nettlewart again, causing Seamus to bluster. Ginny couldn't help but giggle. His arms were puffed up so that they resembled fat sausages, and she completely understood why he didn't want anyone else to see him.

In the end, they covered Seamus up with a bulky winter cloak, and then snuck down to Greenhouse 4. Seamus had refused to go into the Hospital Wing on the chance that there were patients in there that would see him. It was after a heated debate, that Neville had finally admitted to knowing where Professor Sprout grew the plant. And with the help of unlocking and anti-detection spells, it proved to be easy to procure. Yet it still felt a bit like a secret mission, and Ginny felt a thrill run through her during the escapade.

The weekend passed in a blur of conversation, homework, and games. The Carrows having banned her from the Common Room, she didn't often have a chance to play games this year. Likely because of this, the game of exploding snap she did get to play on Sunday, seemed the best game she had ever experienced. The DA, determined to do something fun together, had planned it, deciding it was worth the risk. There would be no talk of war, politics, or even defensive magic. If they did get in trouble, the worst it would be was for noise and disruption.

They had all congregated in the middle of the sixth floor corridor, pillows and cushions having been dragged from beds and common rooms to make the stone floor comfier. With a dozen players, the games had been long and action packed. Peeves came by at one point and made the game twice as dangerous by throwing things, but it only seemed to make it more fun. The effect it had on everyone seemed incredibly strong. Many of them hadn't joked and played like this in months, always worried about one thing or another. Sitting next to Luna, Ginny wondered if they could pull this off every weekend. Probably not. With Christmas coming up, most of them had less homework than normal, and it was for this reason that they could afford to spend a day with friends. Still, it would be nice.

There were a couple of people who had initially looked askance at her, likely because of her connection with Draco, but no one had actually brought it up. And as she bantered loudly, laughed, and smiled, their hesitance about her disappeared. She wasn't bothered by their reactions. Still, she wondered how they would act if they knew she actually liked Draco. It was a pointless thought. She was never going to tell anyone. Especially since he had a reputation to maintain. A reputation that was working to help protect him and his family. She didn't want to mess with that. Their relationship might be important to both of them, but it certainly wasn't worth dying over.


	9. The Holidays

**Chapter 9: The Holidays**

Ginny could barely feel the warmth of her mum's arms. She didn't hear what her father was saying to her. She couldn't even feel any joy at finally being with her parents. Instead, all she managed was a quiet "they took her." She watched her father's face pale and felt her mum's fingers dig painfully into her. "Who?"

She looked around the train platform, half expecting to see them. There must have been half a dozen men standing around. They were silent and still, their presence being enough to keep everyone quiet and subdued. But the two men weren't there. The two men who had barged into their compartment, petrified her before she could think to do anything, and then grabbed Luna. For most of the train ride home, Ginny had been unable to move so much as a muscle, waiting for the spell to wear off. When it finally did, all Ginny could do was continue to sit in her seat and cry. She had thought to go find Neville or Seamus or anyone at all, before realizing it would help nothing. It would only spoil their Christmas. Luna was gone. They had taken her.

"Home, please. Just take me home." Her parents sent worried looks at each other, before doing just that. It would have been braver to stay perhaps, but she couldn't do it. She couldn't handle anyone coming up to her to wish her happy holidays. She couldn't be there when Luna's father realized his daughter was never coming off the train. And as stupid as it sounded, she couldn't handle having Draco ignore her. It would have been idiotic and embarrassing to actually act on it, but all she wanted was to cling to him and have him hold her as she cried.

He understood what being taken by Death Eaters meant. He would be able to tell her what Luna was likely to face. He might even be able to figure out why they had gone after Luna of all people. And he wouldn't judge her for the selfish feeling of relief she had that it hadn't been her.

The Burrow seemed much too quiet. Fred and George would be home in time for dinner, but were currently out with other Order members, performing basic protection wards on any area that seemed a likely target for an attack. The goal of the season was to stop any large scale attacks on wizards or muggles. To somehow ensure everyone could have a safe and quiet Christmas. With that, came thoughts of how Luna would be spending Christmas, and Ginny burst into tears.

Once she was able to explain what had happened, her parents were only able to offer her the thin reassurance that Luna was unlikely to be killed. They hadn't had any reports of death eaters killing an underage witch or wizard, and knowing who was killed was one of the Order's biggest priorities these days. She was told all about Pottermore; a radio station operating in secret that gave advice on how to be quietly rebellious, as well as provide a complete list of all those missing or dead. As her father told her that Fred and George were working as correspondents for it, she felt equal parts proud and terrified.

Being home, it was impossible to ignore the fact that her family was spread out. She couldn't help but worry that it made them more vulnerable. Charlie was still in Romania, working to keep foreign wizards from joining the death eaters. Bill was shut up in a heavily protected cottage when not at work. Fred and George were spreading themselves much too thin, trying to help the Order while also trying to keep their joke shop up and running. Percy seemed to be so deeply entrenched in the Ministry, it wasn't even safe for her father to ask him how he was when the two saw each other at work. And then of course there was Ron. If ever it was found out that he wasn't upstairs dying of Spattergroit, they would all be immediately arrested.

Yet incredibly, her mother continued on with traditions. In the four days leading up to Christmas, Ginny spent hours in the kitchen, helping make mince pies, figgy pudding, and all the other seasonal favorites. Ginny helped decorate the house and trim the tree. They kept the wireless on, all the well known songs floating through the house. On Christmas, Bill and Fleur came over, and they all opened presents. George, Fred, Ginny, Bill, and Fleur all donned their knitted sweaters and ignored the fact that Ron's was under the tree. Percy and Charlie had received theirs via owl post, as would have Ron if her father hadn't stepped in. It was he who had convinced her mum that trying to send gifts to Ron, Harry and Hermione could put them at risk. A risk that no amount of Christmas cheer was worth. After eating a Christmas feast and opening Christmas crackers, they drank wassail, toasting every Order member they could think of.

By all appearances, it was as good of a Christmas as could be expected. And yet Ginny couldn't shake the feeling that it was all a farce. That they were all just going through the motions, not knowing what else to do. When it was time for Bill and Fleur to leave, they were hugged tightly by everyone, told repeatedly to be careful, and to keep in touch. It was as she was clutching tightly to Fleur that Ginny realized how much she cared about her sister-in-law. They would never be best friends. But her intense dislike for her was gone. If anything happened to Fleur, it would crush Bill and she never wanted her brother to experience tragedy again. Being marred by Greyback was enough for a life time.

She was planning to go to bed early. A feeling of tiredness had been clinging to her all day. But as if sensing her ennui, Fred and George hauled her into the family room, intent on cheering her up. They emptied their pockets, joke shop products spilling out in a loud, colorful mess. It was long after midnight by the time Ginny went to bed, her cheeks sore from laughter. It was when she opened her bedroom door though that a sense of joy jolted through her. Lying on her bed was a letter. A letter charmed to smell like baking pumpkin. It was Luna's signature.

The letter would be blank if one didn't know the incantation to match the smell. Amidst all of Luna's strange beliefs, it was often overlooked that she was a Ravenclaw for a reason. The girl was smarter and more skilled than almost anyone realized. Ginny snatched the letter up, yanked her wand out, and muttered "niffler nibbles". The letter glowed for a second before the smell evaporated, the blank parchment filling up with ink.

Tears sprung to her eyes before she even began reading. It was Luna's handwriting. The words were written neatly, the letter free from splotches that would have indicated tears or blood. She took a deep breath and tried to focus.

_Ginny,_

_The first thing I need to tell you is I am safe. It seems I am to be a hostage, but otherwise I've been left alone. They're upset because daddy has been publishing articles against them, and believe he will stop if they have me. I hope he doesn't . That he continues to write the truth, no matter how unpopular it is. It's what he's always done after all. Tell everyone I'm sorry, that I never meant to leave. Please don't worry about me. Let daddy know I love him if you can, and tell him I don't care what happens to me. Tell him to keep writing his articles, and not to be scared._

_-Luna_

_I almost forgot. He wanted me to tell you to stay safe and he hopes you had a Happy Christmas._

She sat down on the bed and held the letter in trembling hands. Luna was a hostage. Brave, kind, unselfish Luna. Wanting her father to keep writing articles in support of Harry, even at the expense of herself. Luna had managed to hide her fear well, but not quite. You didn't go asking your friends to tell your father you loved him unless you didn't plan to see him for a very, very, long time. Unless you were worried you would never see him alive again. But how had Luna gotten the letter out in the first place? It made sense that the death eaters would have had her write a letter to her father to confirm that she was indeed their hostage. But they wouldn't have let her write to a friend. Especially not a letter where she was encouraging her father to not give in to them. Ginny knew the answer was in the last line.

But how had he managed it? Why would he take that risk? Wherever Luna was, Draco was there too. Or had been at some point. And he had managed to what? Sneak parchment, quill and ink to Luna? To send her letter out using an owl he knew wouldn't be checked? Why would he do it? Why would he risk himself, even if the risk had been minimal?

She put the letter down on her end table and lay on her bed. He had done it for her. The thought made her heart beat faster. She was thrilled, scared, happy, and crying quietly. He had known the relief she would experience, knowing Luna was alive and safe. This letter was the best Christmas present she could have received. She fell victim to an overwhelming wave of desire to have him next to her. To be able to hug him tightly, kiss him, feel the peace and security of his arms around her. She didn't bother fighting her feelings. There was no point in telling herself not to think about him. She had come to accept that she was falling in love with him. It wasn't just a crush. It wasn't just physical attraction. It was different than anything she had ever experienced.

Harry had been like a fantasy. He was a hero, a legend. Him finally paying attention to her had left her awe struck. Those few weeks they were together, she had felt so lucky to be the one he touched, he kissed. She could remember being incredibly happy when she was with him, always trying her best to look cute and act pleasant. Prove to him that she could be the perfect girl; never rude, mean, impatient, insecure, needy. She had thought that was what love must be like. With Michael and eventually Dean, she had stopped caring what they thought of her. She had been impatient with them, annoyed with them, and sure having a boyfriend meant having to endure being bored and uncomfortable with declarations of love. Breaking up with Michael and Dean had been a relief.

With Draco, it was all different. She longed to be around him, learn more about him. Knowing he cared about her was anything but annoying. And her desire for him was undeniable. It wasn't like with Harry; she wasn't giddy and putting her best foot forward all the time. She was just herself. She didn't mind Draco seeing her flawed and vulnerable because she knew he was too. Draco had seen her angry, sad, bitter, scared, selfish. And he still liked her. Maybe if she had spent more time with Harry she would have gotten a chance to know him better and be more comfortable with him, but she hadn't. He still seemed larger than life and overwhelming. There was a fear that she would never be good enough for Harry, or rather, that she would spend her whole life trying to be. Harry didn't know her, not really. Not the way that Draco had gotten to know her.

She went to sleep that night pondering what to do about Luna's letter, and woke up determined. Luna had asked her to do one thing. As her friend, how could Ginny do anything else but visit Luna's father? In times past, Ginny might have simply walked out of the Burrow. She would only have to tell her mum she'd be back in an hour or two, and promise not to go too far. In times like these? There was no way she could go as far as the shed without informing her mum first.

She could have cobbled together a lie, but even she could admit that it seemed safer to have people know where you were. So she told a half truth, omitting the letter. Her mum would want to see it, and how would she explain the last line? Even without seeing the letter, her mum might be suspicious of the letter. Wonder how it had gotten to Ginny. If it was a trick of some sort. In the end, she told her mum that she needed to see Luna's father simply because she felt horrible. That she knew his Christmas must have been awful, and that thinking about him all alone was heart breaking. Her mum had agreed with tears in her eyes, and gone about packing up a basket of baked goods. Having her mum insist on coming along threw Ginny for a loop, but she couldn't think of any reason to object.

Xenophilius Lovegood had never appeared particularly normal. But even so, his appearance was startling. His eyes were bloodshot and his robes looked as if he had been sleeping in them. Judging by the smell, he hadn't bathed in days. Ginny watched her mum's eyes harden in determination. She barged her way in, ignoring Xenophilius' protests and demands that they leave. She watched her mum bully him into the tub, and then turn around and begin scrubbing the counters clean. "Ginny dear, go grab his sheets and any clothes that appear to need washing. Open a window as well, this place needs some fresh air no matter how cold."

By the time he was washed and dressed, laundry was being done in the corner, the fireplace was crackling, and the two Weasley women were making soup. Ginny stayed silent, focusing on chopping vegetables, while her mum talked. "Simply giving up on life is never the answer. If Pandora could see you now, she'd be so disappointed. How do you expect to get Luna back by wallowing like this? It won't do. She's underage and a pureblood. They wouldn't just kill her. You'll get her back somehow." Ginny couldn't help but wonder if her mum was reassuring Luna's father, or reassuring herself.

More than ever before, Ginny was realizing how strong her mum was. Her sons were all in various levels of danger. Nothing about the future seemed guaranteed. The Ministry was issuing terrifying decrees and conducting internal investigations with dire consequences. Attacks and threats were an ever present possibility. Hostages were being taken. And yet her mum was determined to have people fed and taken care of. For them to continue living and enjoy as much of life as they could.

They stayed for over an hour, making sure the sheets were dry and back on his bed, that he had a meal for dinner, and that he wasn't about to do anything crazy. In that time, Ginny managed to sneak away to use the loo, and used the opportunity to tear off the bottom line of the letter. She then slipped the letter to him when saying goodbye, and hoped it brought him some comfort.

The rest of the holidays were spent passing time inside the Burrow. With her brothers and father at work most days, Ginny had plenty of time with her mum. For the most part, they avoided talking about unpleasant things, trying their best to focus on the positive. How Ginny's Quidditch games had gone, how she was handling NEWT classes. Overall, it was a peaceful holiday.

The only thing that broke through the façade of a normal Christmas holiday was the radio, which her father and brothers insisted on listening to every night. Ginny was secretly pleased with this, feeling like she was finally being let in on what the Order was doing. She had never been allowed to be at meetings, and her parents liked to keep her as ignorant as possible. Pottermore at least let her glimpse into what the Order was doing. Even if it was depressing. Even if it did frighten her that the most active group against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was reduced to hiding underground, collecting information, and putting on secret broadcasts. In a way, Pottermore felt like the last breath of a dying cause.

While her father and brothers offered commentary or lamentations most nights, her mum stayed conspicuously silent about anything heard on the radio. So it was a complete shock on New Year's when her mum let out a gasp. The rest of the family all turned to look at her in concern. The news of the night had been that a muggleborn by the name of Fiona Blackwater had been caught after months on the run.

Her mum wiped a tear off of her cheek, and shook her head fiercely. "Never mind me; I just haven't heard that name in years." Mr. Weasely scrunched up his brow and stared at his wife. While he knew a fair amount of people from work that his wife didn't, it was rare that she knew someone he didn't. "Our year?" At his wife's nod, he tried very hard to think back. "I think I might remember her. Hufflepuff, sort of chubby? Wasn't her name Peters or something?"

Mrs. Weasley sniffed. "Patterson. Fiona Patterson. I kept in touch with her when the kids were little. She had a baby girl about the same age as Charlie." It wasn't often that Ginny saw her dad angry. But she did know the signs. His mouth had thinned and his eyes had narrowed. She saw her mother was avoiding his gaze, and suddenly felt very uncomfortable.

"You kept in touch with a muggleborn?" Her mum finally looked at him, and she snapped. "She had been my friend! I know we had agreed not to take risks, that we were going to keep ourselves and our kids safe, but I just couldn't ignore her letter. She reached out to me Arthur. Ten years after I had all but abandoned her."

She knew her and her brothers were all shocked. It was George who asked the question though. "Abandoned her?" Mrs. Weasley's anger was replaced with a look of shame as she met her children's eyes. And then courageously, she decided they ought to know.

"While your father and I were growing up, there were a lot of changes occurring, and a lot of backlash. The Ministry was trying to be more progressive, and a lot of people didn't like it. It's likely what pushed a lot of people to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Muggleborns are an example of that. When we were little, it seemed everyone agreed on muggleborns. They were a bit odd and you needed to help them learn the right way to act, but they were mostly seen as harmless. They had proven themselves to be above the muggles, and it was our duty to help them live in our world. They would hold low level, but decent jobs, and contribute to society. There was a tolerance for them, until suddenly a few started to climb the ranks.

I was in my fourth year when Leach became the first muggle born Minister of Magic. That's the first memory I have of anyone actually hating the muggleborns. Suddenly the muggleborn students were being hexed, targeted in a way they never had been before. It was that year that my cousin hexed my friend Fiona and left her in a tree overnight. When I confronted him about it, he told me she had been seen using some muggle thing to write with, and he had only been teaching her a lesson. He told me the muggleborns were forgetting their place; that they had to be brought down a peg. I didn't know what to do. I didn't want to get in trouble, and so I started avoiding her."

Ginny leaned over and gave her mum a side hug. Everyone was silent for a while. Then her mum got up to get some biscuits and tea, and they lapsed into a conversation about the snow that was falling outside. It was a strange weight to bear; this guilt for being pureblooded. For knowing that if you just stayed quiet, played by the rules, you'd be fine. Well, at least as long as He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named didn't take an interest in you. She remembered Draco's descriptions of his summer, and shivered. What if Harry failed? What if they couldn't figure out a way to defeat him?

What were they doing as a society? Pinning all their hopes on a wizard that just came of age months ago. It was ridiculous. If they could just manage to put old grudges aside, work together. The problem was, who would have the leverage once the violence stopped? There had to be some way to compromise. Without it, they were only going to end up in some sort of war again even if Harry did succeed.

Five days later, Ginny found herself hugging her parents tightly, getting ready to board the train that would take her back to school. Part of her was anxious to see if Luna would be back. Maybe they had only taken her for the holidays in order to keep her from seeing her father. It was possible. And even if Luna wasn't back, at least she'd be able to ask Draco what had happened. At the thought of him, she began to smile, and had to remind herself to stop. This was not a time to be happy. This was a time to be worried.

Boarding the train, she walked up and down the length of it, checking for signs of Luna's trunk. It was nowhere. She was just about to go find Neville, when she saw Millicent's head pop out of a compartment three doors down. Ginny stood there while Millicent mentioned something about the loo to her companions, shut the door, and walked directly over to her. She was smiling and looked excited as she motioned Ginny into an empty compartment. What in Merlin's name? Hesitantly, Ginny followed her in and closed the door.

Millicent didn't waste any time. "I hoped I would see you. Good news, you don't have to pretend to be with Draco anymore. Over the holidays, my grandfather gave me something. Don't ask what, I can't say, but it will protect me from Crabbe or any other boy who tries anything with me." Ginny could only stare at her. "Are you sure?" Millicent beamed and nodded. And because she really was happy for the older girl, Ginny smiled back. Ginny had never seen her so happy, so carefree. "That's wonderful Millicent." She knew whatever Millicent had gotten must be full of dark magic. It was likely illegal. But if it worked, Ginny really didn't care. Good for her. Maybe having some dark artifacts in the family wasn't such a bad idea, no matter what the official law was.

Millicent was now busy digging a vial out of her robe pocket, and Ginny took it stunned. It was a tiny vial of Felix Felicis. Ten drops at most, barely a sip. It must have cost a fortune. "In case you ever need it. Thanks for everything Ginny. Maybe someday, well, I'll see you around." And with that, Millicent was gone and Ginny was left standing there, gaping at the vial in her hand. Where had she gotten it from? There were many rich and powerful wizards and witches who would kill to have this, especially in current circumstances. And Millicent had just gifted it. Gifted it to her. Feeling faint, she sat down.

Well, Millicent was definitely grateful towards her. A feeling of guilt wormed its way in. She didn't really deserve this. Sure, she had been called names, been tormented, and had nearly been raped. But overall, she realized that her plan to help Millicent had actually been the best thing to happen to her all year. Even without the excuse of it helping anyone, Ginny had no plans to stop seeing Draco. In fact, in a perfect world, he would come through that compartment door right now and they would spend the entire train ride together.

She stared at the door, wondering if just maybe there was a chance, and then sighed as nothing happened. No doubt he was with his friends somewhere, and assumed she was as well. And she should be. Getting up, Ginny made her way back down the corridor until she spotted the familiar trunks.

They made room for her, and Ginny let them all speak first. Of course they all knew Luna had disappeared; Pottermore had reported it a week ago. But they didn't know why. When finally there was a pause in conversation, Ginny told them about visiting Luna's dad. She added that it was from that visit that she learned what she had. Ginny thought it seemed reasonable. She related to her friends that Luna's father had gotten a letter, and that he had told her and her mum all the relevant information. Everyone was of course relieved to hear that Luna hadn't been hurt, but the worry was much greater than the relief. Would they hurt her? Was taking hostages going to become a normal thing? How could they work to make sure no one else got taken away?

Getting off of the train, Ginny drifted away from the others and scanned the crowd for a head of platinum blond hair. There. Maneuvering between people and trunks, she was nearly to him when he spotted her. She stood still and tried to keep from smiling. He blinked, and then he was walking straight towards her. He hadn't even said anything to his friends. Just left them. He didn't slow down either. Walking right up to her, he grabbed the back of her neck and kissed her. The force of it sent a surge of lust right through her. Ginny's trunk thudded to the ground, her hands tangling in his hair as she kissed back. Two weeks of emotion was poured into their snogging. His other arm was now around her waist, yanking her into him, and she wished desperately they were in her room. That they had a bed he could throw her on and do something about this hot, deep need she felt.

An involuntary sound of protest came out as he pulled away from her. With one hand he was levitating their trunks, and with the other, he was dragging her towards the nearest empty carriage. She followed him, choosing not to complain that his grip around her wrist was a little too tight to be comfortable. He let go, opening the door for her, and she clambered in. The second the door was closed, he was on her again. The carriages weren't large enough for standing or lying down, and as much as they didn't want to stop, they needed to rearrange. Ginny shoved him onto the bench, before climbing up to straddle him. It wasn't long before his hands had found their way under her robes and she was rubbing herself against his erection. His body went still as she reached down and undid his trousers. And then he resumed kissing her neck, his hands squeezing her hips. "You sure?"

Ginny nodded and yanked at his waistband, only stopping once his cock had enough room to spring free. Seeing it hard and ready only made her hornier. She had never been on top before. Never ridden him. Yet in this small carriage, there didn't seem to be any other way. She got up and quickly shimmied out of her knickers, before hiking up her robes and skirt, and sinking back down onto him. They moaned in tandem, each of them more than happy to have his cock back in her. And then they began to move.

It wasn't quite as nice as they were used to. Ginny could feel her knees digging into the bench, and her thighs were burning from the strain of going up and down. Restricted to thrusting upwards, Draco's range of movement was limited, leading to less powerful strokes. Still, it felt wonderful to be together again. The carriage jostled along towards the castle, the only hint of what was happening inside being the fogged up window.

Post coitus, Ginny continued to straddle his lap, leaning into him. His arms were encircling her waist. Part of her didn't want to spoil the moment. But it couldn't be much longer until they arrived at Hogwarts, and who knew when they'd get to talk again? "Do you know if Luna is still alright?" He tightened his hold around her and kissed the top of her head. The gesture was so sweet, so caring, that Ginny couldn't help but wonder if maybe he was falling in love with her too.

"I'm sure she'll be fine. As long as her father doesn't do anything stupid." Ginny tensed at that, and disappointment flooded through her. Was that really all he was going to tell her? No reassurances of having seen her? No hints as to where she was? Ginny knew he was holding back. That he could tell her more. It wasn't like she needed him to commit treason; she just wanted to know about her friend. Especially as his last words sunk in. Luna's father. Oh, how could she have been so stupid? She needed to find a way to save Luna. Her father was very likely to do something to infuriate them. She should never have given him that letter. What if he followed Luna's plea? Allowed his daughter to be sacrificed for the cause?

She had to press for information. "She's fine? So she's not in a dungeon somewhere? I thought so. Probably some remote house, one with a secret keeper, yeah?" She knew it had been risky. Much too direct. Still, it was a surprise when his grip tightened and he whispered harshly in her ear. "Are you honestly doing this? Trying to pump me for information?" His voice had an angry edge to it. Her breath hitched and her body tensed, but her voice remained calm. "It's Luna, Draco. I know you might not know it, but she's my oldest friend outside of family. We've known each other since we were little. Same age, neighbors, you know how it goes." She waited in silence, hoping he wouldn't let this come between them. Wouldn't let the war eclipse whatever they felt for each other. She had never asked him for specifics about the Death Eaters, and he had never asked her for specifics about the Order. It had been a silent, unspoken rule. Not to use the other to pry for information. Finally, he loosened his grip. He sighed into her shoulder, and Ginny relaxed.

"What the hell are we doing?" Ginny felt a wave of unease at his question. At his tone. Did he regret this? Did he think they had both gone mad? She knew she was being stupid. That logically, what they were doing didn't make sense. Still, she felt hurt at hearing him voice the question out loud. She didn't want to say it. And yet, at the same time she didn't want to be with him if he didn't feel the same way she did. She had to let him choose. "We can stop this if you want. Millicent talked to me on the train; her grandfather gave her something to protect herself. She doesn't need us anymore." Her voice had come out shaky, but she successfully kept from tearing up. If he wanted to leave, then she would just have to find a way to move on.

He stared at her, brow furrowed in confusion. "Doesn't need…she hasn't needed us for over a month. Has she? I thought she and Daphne and you sorted all that." She just stared back at him, realization slowly sinking in. He didn't know about the blackmail or about it only being effective if they continued to be together. That meant that he hadn't been doing any of this for Millicent since mid-November. From his point of view, they had been in a relationship with no ulterior motives. The only issue he had been concerned about, was convincing everyone that he hadn't gone soft or switched sides. Making them believe that he still thought of her as a blood traitor and an enemy, only good for fucking.

Before either of them could say anything else, the carriage stopped and the door popped open, letting them know they had arrived. They could now hear the noise of other students. More importantly, one of those students could now walk by and see as well as hear them. Ginny snatched her knickers off of the floor to stuff into her robe pocket, grabbed her trunk, and headed out of the carriage. Hopefully no one had seen that. She knew Draco must be fastening his trousers, and really hoped no one saw that. Having that part of him be for her eyes only suited her just fine.

Shoving all thoughts aside, she caught back up with her fellow Gryffindors, blocking out the stares and whispers that followed her. You'd think they'd have tired of gossiping about her by now. She knew what they were saying. The worst part was, they weren't exactly wrong. A part of her still couldn't believe what she was doing. Her mum would either cry uncontrollably or yell loudly enough to make the ceiling shake if she found out what Ginny had been up to. Her father would be disappointed. Her brothers would be furious. Ginny knew with absolute certainty that she would never have been able to let the school think she was sleeping with anyone, much less Malfoy, if Ron had been at Hogwarts. Ron would have hexed them into oblivion or sent himself to the Hospital Wing trying.

Not to mention without her bedroom of solitary confinement, the threat of being caught would have loomed large on her mind. Last year, two seventh-year Ravenclaws had been caught. They had lost 75 house points each, been given a month's worth of detention, and the boy had received a Howler meaning the parents had been notified. Of course in that case, the two had been dating since fifth year and the Howler had been more about not protecting his girlfriend's reputation than anything else.

Dinner was a strange affair, people happy to see friends again, while also rather upset at having to leave loving families for life under the Carrows. Still, dinner was better than what she knew was coming. Isolation and loneliness. Although it was a Sunday, Ginny knew she would be alone tonight. There would be no way for him to go to bed early without rousing suspicion.

Later that night, Ginny found herself staring at her ceiling, unable to sleep. And then a sob wracked her body. She curled up into a fetal position and cried, wishing terribly that he was here. That he didn't come to her only when he could do it secretly. That she could be his priority. She knew she wanted something impossible. She knew he had to appear loyal to the Dark Lord and his ideals. But she couldn't seem to make her heart understand logic.

She was in much too deep. She knew it. She had fucked him in that carriage with no birth control, and she didn't even regret it. She had known what she was doing at the time. Some subconscious decision had been made that she didn't want to think too much about. But she knew it was dangerous. That she was playing with fire. And he had the power to burn her. She had never felt so helpless, so dependent on a boy. Even with Harry, she had been able to keep her guard up and her heart protected, knowing he was likely to go off and leave her. Maybe it was because it seemed like she had nothing to lose. Maybe it was because she never thought she'd actually fall for him. But she hadn't protected herself well enough. She was in love, and it was terrifying.


	10. Politics

**Chapter 10: Politics**

"Tell me something about your parents." Ginny looked up at where she had been resting against his chest in confusion. "My parents?" They had been lying in silence for the last few minutes, simply enjoying being so physically close. It was Sunday again, three weeks into 2nd semester.

The day after coming back, Draco had called out to her as they crossed paths between classes. He told her to meet him before dinner. That he hadn't appreciated being abstinent for two weeks, and they ought to make up for lost time. Goyle had laughed coarsely, and Ginny had blushed before nodding and rushing off. Since then, they had picked up where they had left off before the holidays, and avoided any questions about what Ginny had brought up in the carriage. He never mentioned Millicent or the possibility of stopping their meetings, and she was more than happy to go along with it.

"Yeah, your parents. I know the basics. Your mum was a Prewett. Your father works for the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts. I think he collects muggle things too? Father's ranted about it before. The injustice of the Ministry fining him for owning wizarding artifacts when it's your father who illegally messes around with muggle ones." Ginny found the image of Lucius Malfoy ranting about her dad difficult to process. It made him seem more human than she liked. How well did their fathers actually know each other anyway? It couldn't all just be from work, could it? What business would Lucius Malfoy have had with her father's department? Had they known each other at school? She knew they weren't quite the same age, but they were close enough that some of the school years would have overlapped.

"Well, my mum is the best cook in the country. She's absolutely brilliant at charms too. She keeps trying to teach me ones for washing clothes or washing dishes, but I'm not nearly as good as her. It's the only bit of magic she'll let me practice at home though. She takes the no magic until you're of age pretty seriously. I think she's afraid we'll hurt ourselves otherwise. I blame Fred and George for that mostly."

"So no house elf then?" Ginny shook her head, and reminded herself not to care. He knew her family had grown up poor. Still, she was expecting some sort of reaction. She was sort of shocked when he didn't have one. He only rearranged his arm around her so he could play with her nipple, and kept talking. "We don't have one either. At least, not for the last year or so. We'd always had one while I was growing up, and then Potter took it. I don't know what the hell he planned to do with it, or what he ever did do with it. Dobby had always been a bit of a nut, even for an elf." Ginny repressed a laugh and made herself stay silent, letting Draco continue. His hand was now massaging her breast lazily. She shifted so that she could trail her fingers over his abdomen, hoping to tease him back.

"Mother was in a complete state at the time. Father wanted to try and get one from a friend, didn't think it really mattered, but she wouldn't let him. Said that without family loyalty, what good were those creatures? She didn't want just any old elf. She managed to convince my aunt's old elf to relocate to our Manor instead, and Merlin was that an experience. Father had to fight with it for ages until it finally stopped trying to replace anything Malfoy with some Black family heirloom. It kept sneaking Aunt Bella's stuff in too, all of which you can imagine was not particularly tasteful. Still, it was better than nothing. When my aunt and uncle were freed though, the elf was back with them and the dust has been piling up ever since."

Ginny was only surprised until she had a chance to really think about it. After all, where would Narcissa Malfoy have learned cleaning charms from? Hogwarts didn't teach them, and she doubted the Black family had ever been without a house elf. It was sort of nice to know they didn't have one anymore, and didn't know how to cope. She knew how to do a type of magic that the Malfoys didn't. A type of magic that would be helpful to them.

She kissed Draco's shoulder and moved her hand down. She lightly stroked his hardening member as she talked. She told him that she had heard quite a bit about Dobby. That he now worked at Hogwarts, wore Hermione's knit wear, and was considered a complete pariah by the other elves. She laughed at Draco's expression of incredulity. "It's true. He's the only elf that would go near Hermione or her things after that whole spew business." "Spew business?"

Ginny had to think for a moment about how to explain it. What Hermione had said about it had never quite made sense to her. "She wanted all house elves to work for money. Or not work at all maybe? She'd try to free them by tricking them into picking up clothes. I never really understood why." He looked just as confused as her. "She was trying to kick them out of their home? Exile them? Why? Did she hate them? What would they do without work? And what would a house elf do with money? They don't need it for anything." Ginny didn't have any clarification to give him. "I don't know. Ron never understood it either."

There was a break in conversation as Draco grabbed her wrist, moved it off of him, and then flipped himself over her, so that he was looming above. "You know what I could never stand about Granger?" Ginny's body stiffened and every nerve seemed taut. This was dangerous territory. He had to know she was friends with Hermione. That she didn't approve of the word mudblood or insulting someone because of their parentage. "What?"

"She assumed she could find out anything from a book. That just because she read, she knew more about our world than anyone else. Like being a witch just meant you had to know spells, the properties of potion ingredients, the translation of runes, whatever. Unless you need it for your job or you really love it, no one remembers that bullocks once the NEWTS are done with. And instead of observing and asking questions to figure out the important stuff; our traditions and culture, she just spouted off her own opinions acting like she knew better than anyone else."

Ginny grappled for a moment to form some sort of defense. Having him above her like this, both of them naked and him half-hard, did nothing to help her think. Not to mention what he had said was not what she had been expecting, and said in those terms, she wasn't sure if she didn't agree with at least part of it. "Well what was she supposed to do then?"

His eyes narrowed and his grip on her wrists got tighter. "Shut up and realize she was the interloper who needed to change and conform." She looked into his eyes, keeping her expression controlled. His response hadn't shocked her. It hadn't turned him into some revolting person. She hadn't liked what he said. But he was being honest with her. "So what? Muggleborns should just sit quietly and allow themselves to be stepped on? Hunted down? Have their wands snapped?"

His erection was gone, but he continued to loom over her. She suspected he liked the feeling of power it gave him. "No. I didn't say that. I said they should respect our world, and not judge it or try to change it. Those in power, those who do bring about change, should be people who can appreciate all the intricacies of their decisions. Be from families who would know and have taught them how to protect our interests."

The thought that purebloods should be the ones in power wasn't radical. It was what most people had believed for centuries. She could even admit to seeing some sense in it; how else was their world supposed to preserve their ways? She knew from Hermione, Dean, Colin, and others that the muggle world was changing rapidly and getting further and further away from the wizarding one. The muggle world was becoming more and more like some foreign country. And what country would put a foreigner in charge? Draco was right about at least one thing; some things they just didn't seem to get. Like Hermione's inability to understand house elves, or Dean not understanding why wizarding ways were better than muggle inventions. Ginny had always prided herself on being able to appreciate the odd things muggles invented. But Dean's stance on muggles surpassing wizards had been ridiculous.

Muggles apparently put music on disks and then could listen to them wherever they went. But didn't that destroy the point of music? If it was always at your fingertips, able to be listened to constantly, wouldn't it lose its value? Muggles stared at screens for entertainment, but why was that a good thing? Weren't they missing out on real life? Muggles were spending fortunes to put bits of metal into space, but why? How was that going to accomplish anything? If a wizard wanted to be weightless or perform experiments without gravity, he could do it with levitation charms. Dean had mentioned what muggles used instead of quills, and again it seemed convenience was all muggles cared about. What about the experience? The smell of ink, the heaviness of parchment, the art of knowing how to dip your quill for just the right thickness of lines.

"Well maybe there could be some kind of committee. Some way for muggleborns to have positions of power, tempered by pureblood or halfblood colleagues that could advise them about wizarding ways. I don't know. I'm not a politician." He smiled down at her, and Ginny glared. "What?"

"Nothing. You're just so…kind. Idealistic. Naïve." Offended, she tried to twist her wrists free. Land a blow to him. It was a gut reaction, borne out of a childhood of growing up with six brothers. His brow furrowed and he let go of her, sitting up and daring her to hit him. She saw the challenge in his eyes, and it brought her back to her senses. She might not have grown up with money, but she had grown up with manners. She knew that hitting a wizard was no way for a witch to act. Not in a relationship. "Sorry, I just...I'm not naïve." His gaze softened and he traced her cheek. "It's a good thing Gin. I'm callous, selfish, and cynical enough for the both of us. You can keep us balanced. Remind me that not everyone is only self-interested, wanting power for themselves no matter what that means for others. I love that about you. I need that."

She felt as if there was an expanding charm buried in her ribcage. He loved that about her? He thought they balanced each other? "Draco?" It was an unspoken question. Heavy in the air between them. Did he love her? Instead of answering, he moved back onto the bed, and then yanked her into his body, holding her tight and kissing her fiercely. Ginny was half dazed by the time he began to speak.

"I was wrong all those years ago. Dismissing your whole family as the wrong sort of wizard. There are more important things than money or having a large house. You're what I want in a witch Gin. You're smart and powerful. You're protective of those you love. You're competitive and can hold your own against others. I'm not ignorant. I know what those other girls say to you. But you don't let it bother you. You either hex them or dismiss them completely. Do you know how bloody impressive that is? Without ever having to say it, you show you're superior to them. It's brilliant." Ginny flushed as Draco looked at her. She had never been complimented so thoroughly before. He really thought that about her? They stared at each other for a moment, neither speaking, and then Ginny pounced.

Grabbing his head, she pulled him into a deep kiss. Her hand quickly dropped down between their bodies and began stroking him frantically. She felt like she couldn't kiss him deeply enough. That she wanted more of him than was physically possible. She whimpered against him as his hands gripped her arse cheeks and his mouth moved off of hers to suck at her neck. She wanted him. She wanted him so much, it ached. His erection was slowly growing, but she didn't want to wait. Not letting herself overthink it, she shoved against his chest. Startled, he let go of her, and Ginny moved herself down the bed so quickly, he had no time to figure out what she was doing until he suddenly felt it. A long, loud moan escaped him as he felt his cock be engulfed by the wet warmth of her mouth.

Ginny had never done this before, but it seemed what she had heard was right. He loved it. She sucked him off, encouraged to keep going by his noises. Even as her cheek muscles began to feel sore. Even when she nearly gagged, having tried to take the full length of him in. She only stopped when she thought he might cum. She began kissing up his body; his stomach, chest, collarbone, neck, and then she was at his ear. "I want you. I want your cock in me, your hands on me, your mouth on me." She fully expected her talking like this to send Draco over the edge. To get him to grab her, pin her down, and fuck her hard. Instead, he gripped her waist and spoke.

"Why? What is it about me that you like?" Ginny stopped breathing for a second. And then she dredged up all the Gryffindor courage she had. "I like how you're strong on your own; how you manage people, how you figure out what the best way to act is. That I can go off and do my own thing, and know that you're doing your own thing. And then come together, it feeling completely natural. I like that you're stubborn and unafraid of making enemies. That you're not ashamed to do what will keep your family safe, not ashamed to denounce muggle culture, and not ashamed to um, adhere to tradition."

A knowing look came into his eye, and he smiled slightly. Ginny felt herself go warm all over. He knew. He knew and he was willing to take that on. All of the things she might secretly want or think, but couldn't say. He did say, and would say, and he would take on the blame for the things she didn't want to admit to. And then to lighten the mood, she added "And of course there's the money. While your Christmas gift was deeply appreciated, I have to say I'm looking forward to a very expensive, completely ridiculous Valentine's gift from you."

"Oh is that right? You're using me for my money now, are you? If I didn't know better, I'd say you had some Slytherin in you." His tone was teasing, and Ginny forced herself to adopt an angry expression. In fact, she was nearly bursting with anticipation at having thought of a witty comeback.

"Well I certainly want some Slytherin in me, but instead he's prattling away. Any idea how to fix that?" The comment threw him enough that he needed a moment to catch on, but the result was most satisfactory. When he looked at her, Ginny saw a whole array of emotion; admiration, happiness, amusement, and lust. "On your back with legs spread. Now." Ginny complied, pleasure engulfing her they came together for the second time that night. Merlin, did she love how he made her feel.

"Do it! Do it now you disgraceful excuse of a witch!" Ginny shook her head frantically, tears streaming down her face. And yet, her feet moved forward and her arm went up. She couldn't make her body obey her. It was as if her mind was disconnected from her body, unable to do anything but look on in horror. She heard a faint "crucio" and almost didn't realize it had come from her own mouth. The dog in front of her stopped yanking at the chain holding him in place, and howled with pain. The imperius curse ended, and Ginny dropped to the floor, sobbing as the dog whimpered.

Amycus was nearly beaming with pride. "Look at that power! Even with not a bit of feeling behind it, look at what she did! There's the magic of all yer ancestors flowing in ya. Change yer tune, an' you might do great things yet Weasley." He smiled at her, only to scowl as she continued to sob. "Stop yer damned cryin! Magic is might, the strongest power out there. Muggle, goblin, dog, whatever you come across. Not a one is to be cried over. It's our job to show them their place, eh?" The rest of the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff sixth years could only look at their professor with wide eyes. He took their silence as agreement, and grinned.

"Alright then. Back to the lesson. Cynric, you're next." Ginny found herself blasted backwards, courtesy of her professor, while Cynric stumbled forward to take her place. Dark Arts had never been pleasant, but today was just awful. In order to begin teaching them how to perform the cruciatus curse, Amycus had been imperiusing them one by one, forcing them to use it on this poor, unfortunate dog. It was an unbearable pain, being forced to watch as an innocent creature was hurt over and over again, unable to do anything about it. Unable to watch, Ginny turned her head away and found herself staring at Elise.

Elise had vomited after being released from the imperius curse, and had then passed out. Her head was still lying in a pool of her own sick, and no one was allowed to help her. Amycus had made it quite clear that Elise had been weak, and deserved to lie there in shame. If anyone tried to help her, he would replace the dog with them and they would not only be crucioed for the rest of class, but be the victim for the seventh year class of Ravenclaws and Gryffindors as well. He explained that permanent brain damage was likely, and then his eyes had glinted madly and he had begun laughing.

Ginny had long ago decided that something terrible had happened to unhinge the Carrow siblings, but as it turned out his laughter was warranted, given his twisted sense of humor. He had already been anticipating his next class, and had predicted what would happen. It wasn't until dinner and Ginny saw Neville that it all began to make a horrible type of sense. Neville was being carried into dinner by Seamus and Justin Finch-Fletchy. They flanked Neville's sides, carrying Neville's weight between them. Neville looked half crazed, sudden tremors shaking his body, and without Seamus and Justin, Neville would surely be nothing but a twitching mess on the floor.

As they got Neville into a seat, Ginny found herself hissing in outrage. "What are you two thinking? He doesn't need dinner, he needs the Hospital Wing. How many times was he crucioed?" Seamus glared at her. "Do you really think we don't know that? He's not allowed to be treated. Carrow's orders. The bastard told Neville to go first, and Neville just stood there and refused. So Carrow tried to curse him, but Neville dodged the imperius curse. And then, well, Carrow's next curse hit and Neville was bound in place. We all were forced to torture him. Nine of us, Gin. Nine crucios."

It was as if the world had become nothing more than background noise. She didn't know what she felt; what she wanted to do. She wanted to cry. She wanted to scream. She wanted to punch something. She looked at Neville and felt her stomach revolt against the thought of food. She overheard Lizzie ask if he would be alright, and heard Lavender say quietly that they had all tried their best to put no power into their curses. That hopefully, their crucios were so pathetic, that he would be back to normal in no time.

It was the constant hope these days; that they would simply recover from their classes and go back to normalcy. Muggle studies forced Ginny to write essay after essay about how muggles were like animals, how they were destroying the planet, how they were suspicious and violent, how they were given to panic and paranoia. Not a word about their creativity and perseverance to make their way in the world, despite their vulnerability and limitations.

Worse still, was Dark Arts. The class that forced them to practice magic with the intention of hurting others. Carrow spent nearly every class now trying to convince them they would never be respected unless they were willing to use dark magic. He seemed convinced that other creatures would rise up and try to kill them, unless they forcibly subdued them with magic. The two Carrows seemed to live in a constant state of paranoia, desperate to make the students see they were being threatened by anyone or anything that was not a witch or wizard.

It was beginning to mess with everyone's minds. Everyone seemed more afraid and confused than ever before. Just last week, Ginny had found herself ranting at a pair of terrified third years. The girls had been sitting on a windowsill between classes, wondering just how muggleborns had managed to steal magic. Overhearing them, Ginny had stopped in her tracks and hissed angrily at them. She remembered telling them that whole notion of stealing magic was codswallop, and that only an idiot wouldn't be able to see through the Ministry's lies. She knew she had scared the girls, but she hadn't been able to reel in her anger. She had threatened to turn them into rats the next time they said a word against muggleborns, and then stormed off, not trusting herself not to do it that minute.

Then there had been that fight with Pucey. During their last practice, he had managed to outmaneuver her to grab the quaffle three different times. While galling, she had endured it, refocused, and managed to end their practice with possession of the ball. He had flown down, infuriated, and told her she had only won due to luck. That her flying was clumsy and pathetic. That the half-breed oaf could do better. She had defended Hagrid, only mildly annoyed at the insult. And then he had said it. That half-breeds were an abomination. That Hagrid and the wizard that had sired him should have both been killed for polluting magic. That Hagird was a result of bestiality. Ginny had lost it, hexing him with abandon, and sending him to the Hospital Wing. Pucey had reported her to the Carrows, and Ginny had spent dinner collapsed on the floor of the Great Hall, her vocal chords shredded and her muscles sore and leaden from the torture.

The next day, Draco had managed to get her into the prefects' baths again. This time, she had soaked until her skin pruned up. He had demanded to know what she had been thinking, and nearly gone mental when she told him it had been in defense of Hagrid. Ginny had let him rant about how stupid it was to get tortured on account of nothing more than words. How her life was more important than protecting someone's pride. And even though he was mad at her, lecturing her, she had felt a quiet happiness. He cared about her. He wanted her safe and sound.

She hadn't spoken to Pucey since, actively avoiding him in their shared classes. Her instinct would have normally been to try and retaliate against him, but she worked hard not to. Draco had nearly pleaded with her to drop it and let Pucey think he had won for now. Draco hated watching her get tortured, and knew that a fight with Pucey would invariably end with her getting another detention.

It had been a shock to realize that she was willing to change her behavior for Draco. That if it really caused him distress, she would try not to do it unless she really felt she had to. She hadn't agreed easily. She had used the opportunity to force Draco to agree to something as well. He had scowled about it and demanded to know why she was so worried about it, but in the end he had agreed to it. As long as she avoided antagonizing Pucey, he would avoid antagonizing Neville. Ginny knew that Neville was emerging as a target for the Carrows. That they itched for excuses to try and grind him down. She wasn't in any of Neville's classes, and really couldn't help him like she wanted to. But if she could at least make sure the Slytherins didn't target him as well as the Carrows, well at least she was doing something. Not that Neville knew what she had done of course.

And now things were even more serious. Nine crucios. That sounded very much like Amycus really didn't care if Neville went mad or not. It sounded very much like the Carrows were highly suspicious of Neville, and had more than an inkling that Neville was an enemy. If this war lasted, Ginny had no doubt Neville would be joining the Order upon graduating. Had the Carrows had the same thought? Were they beginning to see Neville as a danger, instead of a malleable mind to shape?

Neville didn't eat any dinner, but did manage to hold a dinner roll that he systematically tore into shreds. He stared at it with deep concentration, moving his fingers with deliberate precision. Ginny got the distinct impression that he was making sure he had control over his muscles. At least, she hoped it was that, and not the movements of a man with a broken mind. He stayed eerily silent throughout all of dinner, and didn't even so much as glance up at any of them. Everyone tried very hard not to stare, and to immerse themselves in conversations, but inevitably their eyes would be drawn back to Neville.

As dessert appeared, conversation abruptly fell off as Neville finally looked up. Ginny's heart nearly leapt. His eyes were clear and focused. "Pass… the …pudding… please." There had been a pause between each word, as if each sound had taken an immense effort, but he hadn't slurred or mumbled. As she looked at his face, Ginny realized he was very much aware of all the eyes on him. He was forcing himself to try and recover as quickly as he could, when all he undoubtedly wanted to do was curl up and cry. Quickly, Ginny grabbed the bowl of pudding, and placed it right in front of Neville. He took a deep breath, pulled his arm up, and clenched his fingers around the spoon. Then slowly, deliberately, he picked up the spoon, scooped up a bit of pudding, and ate it. It didn't dribble out as Ginny had feared it might, although he did take a very long time to swallow it. A wave of relief seemed to sweep over the table. It was ridiculous, but seeing him eat something seemed to have been the assurance they all needed. He would recover.

Later that night, Ginny lay in bed and thought about the dog. Next to Neville's example of defiance, she was ashamed of herself. It didn't matter that they had been imperiused to do it. It didn't matter that had they resisted, they would have had to take the dog's place. Neville hadn't let that scare him. There was no excuse; she had acted like a coward. There was only one thing for it. She would have to make amends. Damn the consequences. Tomorrow morning, before breakfast, she was going to help that dog escape.


	11. Consequences

**CHAPTER 11: Consequences**

The halls were empty, the Great Hall packed with students and professors eating breakfast. Getting to the classroom had been simple. The issue was getting to the dog. No doubt he was being held in Carrow's office. An office coated in dark magic, well protected by wards, and Merlin knew what else. There was no way she could break in undetected. No way to avoid setting off alarms.

Not entirely sure that she wasn't signing her own death warrant, she attacked the door. She tried incendio, but the flames were only absorbed by the wood and disappeared. She tried a blasting charm, but it was repelled and sent back towards her, leaving her sprawled on the floor. She cast every attack spell she could think of, but all that happened was alarms were ringing, smoke was filling the classroom, and her panic level was rising. Of course Carrow would have thought of all the violent spells. What she needed was to do something clever, something so unexpected he wouldn't have thought to protect against it.

And then suddenly, she had it. Focusing on the doorknob, she transfigured it into a bit of rope. Yanking the rope out, she was then able to slam her body against the door and heave it open. She could hear the pounding of people racing up the stairs and down the hall. She blasted the cage open, and then cried in despair as the dog did nothing but lay there. His eyes were so sad, so full of pain and hopelessness, that Ginny realized he would never be able to run out of the room. His body and spirit were broken. He wanted nothing other than the pain to end.

The realization that there was only one way for him to escape a life of pain and torture hit her like a ton of bricks. Her knees thudded onto the floor, and she gently dragged the dog out of the cage and into her lap. She whispered soothing words, stroked him with a frantic desperation, and kissed the top of his head. As the dog closed his eyes and gave a deep breath, Ginny prepared herself. She could hear Amycus yelling, and knew he would be here in seconds. There was no other way to help. Whispering 'diffindo', Ginny made a clean slice through the neck.

Dog cradled in her lap, blood soaking into her robes, she looked up to find herself staring at both the Carrows and Snape. Amycus was red with rage. "Like dogs do you? Let's just see how much you like them when I string you up for their pleasure! I'll call the mutt in right now! We'll string you up in the Entrance Hall and have the whole school watch as Greyback's pack comes for you. You'll be such a treat for them; tender, young flesh." She could only stare at him, trying to process his words. He was telling her she was going to be mauled. Bitten, scratched, gouged. Was she going to die? Was this it? Was Greyback going to tear her throat out?

"While undoubtedly deserved, I don't believe it would be a wise precedent to begin executing children Amycus. Parents might be outraged. Miss Weasely, do lay the filthy mutt down and follow me." There was no doubt in her that out of the three available options, Snape was who she felt safest with. Gently sliding the dog to the ground, Ginny got up and followed her Headmaster out of the room in a daze. On their way to his office, students and professors alike lined the hallways, gasping and whispering as she passed by. She realized they probably thought it was her own blood drenching her robes, but couldn't be bothered to reassure anyone or explain what had happened. She really had no idea what would happen next.

Snape didn't deign to even look at her, much less speak to her. The only acknowledgement of her the entire way up, was right before entering his office, he shot a spell at her robe to get rid of the blood. No doubt he didn't want it staining the floor. Ginny stood there, silent and afraid, as Snape walked over to the floo and called a man at the Ministry. "Arthur Weasley is required at Hogwarts immediately. Mark his file. His daughter was just apprehended breaking into a professor's office and attempting to undermine the curriculum."

Ginny paled at the words 'mark his file'. She knew her father was being watched. Had she just condemned him? Panic was clawing at her, breathing was becoming difficult, and she was vaguely aware that she was about to pass out.

When she came to, her first thought was that she must be dreaming. Her dad was there kneeling in front of her, eyes worried but unmistakably filled with love. "Hey there Gin bug." Ginny lunged into her dad's embrace and began sobbing, closing her eyes and reveling in the feel of his hand patting her back. A cough made her dad tense up, and Ginny reluctantly opened her eyes. Her dad gently pushed her away and stood up. It was then that she saw Snape looking as sour as ever, with two Ministry officials flanking him. "Get to it Weasely. We're not here for you to be comforting her." The man that had spoken looked at her father with irritation and impatience. Her dad's face went red. "Right, yes." And then he was scowling at her. She felt completely bewildered. He was mad at her?

"Ginevra Molly Weasley. You have acted foolishly and recklessly. I know you've always had a big heart, had a hard time ignoring the helpless. But how dare you disrespect and disobey your betters! Just think of how your mother would feel if I told her what you've done. I am ashamed. From now on, if you step one toe out of line, I will be immediately notified and forced to come here to punish you publically. Do not force me to do that Ginevra." Ginny tried very hard to give away nothing and read between the lines. Obviously, he didn't mean everything he was saying. It was an act for the Ministry officials. But he might mean some of it. She was pretty sure he really did not want to see her get in trouble again. That he wanted her to keep her head down and stay safe.

The Ministry official cleared his throat meaningfully. Her dad jerked slightly, and then clenched his jaw, taking out his wand. She could only look at him wide-eyed. Surely he wasn't going to… "Turn around Gin." If it wasn't her dad telling her to, she wouldn't have done it. But whatever was going on, she trusted he knew what was best. He loved her and whatever he did now, it would only be to keep her safe. She stood up, turned her back to him, and tensed for the blow.

She shrieked as the force of a lash came down on her back. Her hands fisted at her sides, her eyes shut tight, she sobbed and cried out as the lashes continued. She fell to her hands and knees halfway through, unable to stand. She knew what the spell was. Knew that it wasn't supposed to hurt nearly this much or go on for so long. She had never been subjected to it before; even for her worst offenses, she had always gotten nothing more than swats on her backside growing up. But she did know Charlie had gotten four lashes once when he left Ron unsupervised near his broom. Ron had been a toddler, and Ginny had only heard stories. Every time the height seemed to change, from twenty feet to fifty feet. She also knew George and Fred had gotten a fair few over the years, but never more than one or two at a time. Just enough to make them pause and think before doing something they knew was dangerous.

Finally, it stopped. And then just as she was feeling the first bit of relief, she heard Snape assure the Ministry official she would also be serving a double detention. She looked behind her to see her father. He was pale and shaken, but she knew it was about the lashing. That he thought this was the worst of what she would have to endure, and felt absolutely miserable about his part in it. He didn't know. He didn't know that detention now meant being crucioed. And she found she couldn't tell him. Didn't want him to know. It would only devastate him, knowing that he couldn't keep her from being tortured.

"Let's go then Weasley." Ginny and her dad were only able to share one last glance before he was suddenly flooing back to the Ministry and leaving her at the mercy of her Professors. She stared at the fireplace, hoping desperately for him to come back, but nothing of the sort happened. Snape's voice cut through the silence, and Ginny was forced to accept she wouldn't see her dad again until the Easter holidays. "You will have detention today at both lunch and supper. Now get to class." Ginny nodded once at him, and then turned and walked out, unable to come up with anything to say. So she wasn't to die today. Only be tortured.

Going to class was less than useless. She stood in the back of the class, refusing to sit, knowing her entire back would protest anything touching it. Even now, it stung and smarted horribly. The material of her shirt was almost too much to bear. If she was a boy, she would have shucked it off. As it was, she had already taken her robe off, unable to handle the weight of it on her back. Thank Merlin it was Transfiguration. Professor McGonagall simply continued to teach, not even pausing as she slid in through the door. As Ginny stood there, McGonagall pretended not to notice her, forcing her classmates to do likewise. Well, discounting all the stares and whispers.

Once class finished, she was the first one out the door. She walked down the corridor quickly, not up for answering any questions. Unfortunately, her other morning class was Potions. Lacking McGonagall's tact, Slughorn immediately looked at her as she entered, and began speaking. "Miss Weasely! Recovered are you? How reassuring. No more blood I hope. And just what was all that about this morning anyhow?" The rest of the students had all stilled, and she had all eyes on her. Lovely. "I'm sure the Headmaster will explain at lunch professor." Slughorn only stared at her in confusion.

"Oh come now Miss Weasley! Surely you can tell me." Ginny worked to keep from glaring. Exactly why Slughorn felt the need to delude himself into thinking he was friends with his students was beyond her. If she had known last year that her bat boogey hex would give her the dubious honor of being a member of the Slug Club, she wasn't so sure she'd have ever cast it. Even if he had refrained from hosting his little parties this year, she had no doubt he still thought of her as one of his.

For all that though, she knew he didn't mean any harm. And of course, the fact that he had liked Harry wasn't to be ignored. He was an ally, just like all the other Professors. Trying to give them as normal of a year as possible. She pushed her annoyance away, and managed a small smirk. People still needed to see her as strong after all. "Let's just say I might have done something that rather upset Professor Carrow." His eyes widened, an excited gleam taking over his face. No doubt he felt some sort of pride that one of 'his' had struck a blow against the Carrows. "Ah yes. I see. Well, do put your things down. We ought to have started brewing by now." She went to go put her bag onto an empty table, when to her surprise, Lizzie called out. "Want to partner?" Ginny gaped at her old roommate for a second, before smiling and heading over.

Lizzie looked over at her nervously, and then faced the board for Slughorn's instructions. As they began to brew, Ginny waited patiently for Lizzie to begin the conversation. A quarter of an hour later, while adding crushed beetle, Lizzie finally spoke. "The room's a lot quieter without you. I think I might even miss your snoring." Ginny stared at her for a second, and then grinned. By the end of class, the two were stifling giggles and chatting as if the last four months hadn't happened.

Ginny was so excited to have regained Lizzie's friendliness, that she almost forgot to dread lunch. Entering the Great Hall though, her stomach twisted and her heart pounded. She was going to be brave. Neville had been tortured yesterday. Today was her turn. Passing right by the Gryffindor table, she walked to the Head Table and stared right at Snape. He met her eyes and nodded, before standing up to address the Hall. "As many of you may have guessed, Miss. Weasely made a terrible mistake this morning. In a fit of idiocy, she decided that a dog's wellbeing was more important than wizards and witches learning a crucial skill. For this serious lapse of judgement, she has been granted leniency. Make no mistake though. If there is a next time, mercy will be in short supply." And with that, the torture started.

She didn't hear a word in her afternoon classes. She only sat slumped in her seat, unable to do anything but stare at the wall with a glazed expression. Her body was throbbing, so sore and painful that every movement caused her to yell out in agony. She knew other sixth year students were helping her. That they were the only reason she was able to make her way to class. They were supporting her just as Seamus and Justin had done for Neville last night. Her last class ended an hour before dinner, and she had recovered enough to smile wearily at the seventh years heading towards her. "We've got her. Go on and take a break."

Lavender was the first to speak, disapproval and concern warring with each other. "How could you have been so reckless? Neville is barely managing, and now you've gone and followed in his steps. What were you thinking! You two are going to end up dead, and for what? A moment of defiance? It's not worth it! What if tomorrow was the day? The day he came and needed us to help fight?" Ginny couldn't help but be shocked. She had never thought of that. Was that what Laender was expecting? For the trio to show up any day and lead them into battle?

Then again, who knew what would happen? Harry, Ron and Hermione had been gone over five months now. Surely they were almost done with whatever they were doing. Even if they weren't about to show up though, Ginny knew there was another reason to behave now. "I know. I can't…I can't do something like this again. They called my dad in. Marked his file and forced him to come and punish me. If he hadn't…if he had shown pride about what I'd done…I think they would have arrested him." Her voice was low and scratchy, but everyone seemed to have heard her. Pale, shocked faces surrounded her.

"Blimey, Gin. I suppose it works both ways, eh? They're using Luna to control her father, and now they're using your dad to control you." Ginny nodded and swallowed the lump in her throat.

Refocusing the conversation, she asked Neville how he was doing, and then helped launch Seamus into a discussion about how Puddlemere United would fare with the loss of their keeper; said keeper having just traded to the Flacons for a 260 galleons a year pay raise.

Going into the Great Hall, she tried her best to be discrete. She didn't need or want any sympathy. She just wanted the day to be done with. Without explaining herself, she continued walking while everyone else stopped to sit down. She heard them call after her, and forced herself to walk more quickly. Her legs were burning with the effort, and it was almost a relief when she was once again hit with the cruciatus curse and could allow herself to collapse to the ground.

This time, there was no getting up. Ginny laid still with silent tears sliding down her cheeks. Just breathing was enough movement to keep her in perpetual agony. Never mind the thought of being able to lift her hand, much less get up and walk. After what must have been an hour, she heard Filch's voice, and convulsed with fear as she realized he planned to drag her to her room. And then Snape's voice cut through. "No. Leave her here. She'll spend the night on the stone floor. As a dog would." This was met with the malicious laughter of the Carrows, but in fact Ginny was relieved. She wouldn't be moved. Wouldn't have her muscles screaming at her, pain shooting through her with every jerk of movement. Then the voices were gone, the candles went out, and she was left alone.

It was one of the longest nights of her life. Exhausted beyond her measure, her eyes closed and she slept off and on, but never for long. The pain had become a constant throbbing, and even turning her neck slightly made her cry out. As the night wore on, the stones under her seemed to get harder, colder, and rougher. What she wouldn't give for a mattress. A pillow. Even a blanket. As her body got colder and colder, she would find herself shivering, making her sob in pain at the movement. There was a dull ache in her stomach, her body long past the point of hunger. A headache had formed, whether from cold, hunger, tiredness, or something else. All she wanted to do was sleep. Find some escape from all the physical pain. But she couldn't. Couldn't get comfortable enough to do any more than doze. It was miserable.

Eventually, the sun began to rise and the Hall began to lighten. Soon people would be coming in for breakfast. She had to get up. Show them that she would be okay. That she wasn't broken. Moaning and gasping, she slowly sat up. The pain was no longer as acute. In fact, she was able to stand and walk shakily towards the table. Though her legs wobbled and she winced with each step, she realized she could do this. It was Friday now. Only one more day of classes to get through.

She was almost to her seat when Professor McGonagall came in. The two witches stared at each other for a moment before McGonagall was rushing to her side and wrapping an arm around Ginny's ribcage. "That's it dear. Put your weight on me. Let's get you settled." Ginny sagged into her Professor gratefully. By the time others began to trickle in, Ginny was seated and nibbling toast.

The morning passed quietly, no one doing any more than eyeing her and asking how she was. Each time, Ginny forced a smile and tried to come up with some witty, nonchalant response. Neville was looking much better today, and Ginny was reassured that she would probably be the same as him by tonight. In Muggle Studies, she managed to sit and take notes, giving Alecto nothing to call her out on. Even better, she managed to spend her free period before lunch going to the Quidditch changing rooms and taking a long, hot shower. The shower did wonders. She exited the shower sleepy and relaxed. And then she shrieked in surprise and clutched her towel tight to her chest. "What the bloody hell!"

Draco only looked at her, not even getting up from the bench he was sitting on. His legs were out in front, ankles crossed. His back was leaning up against the wall. His arms were folded across his chest. Nothing to indicate he wasn't completely relaxed except for his face. He was staring coldly at her, anger flashing in his eyes. Ginny sighed. "Don't start. I know"

"Do you? Do you really get that you risked your life for a fucking dog?" She stared at him and something in her broke. She had worked so hard to be strong for the past two days. To be brave. She didn't know that she needed to cry. To fall apart. But she did. Draco was up in an instant, holding her as she sobbed into his shoulder. "I didn't…I didn't know what else…to do. I had…had to do…s…something." She felt him breathe deeply and squeeze her even tighter.

"First off, that's rubbish. You didn't have to do anything. Second, you definitely didn't have to run head first into Carrow's bloody office." He pulled back from her to look her in the eyes as he continued. "You didn't even have so much as a distraction. Darkness powder? Fireworks? You must have something stashed away. You could have waited for class to start, lured him out, gone in and killed the dog if you had to, and gotten out before anyone saw you."

His suggestion cut through her sorrow, and left her flummoxed. Why hadn't she thought to try a distraction? Carrow might still have suspected her, but he wouldn't have been able to punish her on suspicion alone. Part of it was because she had hoped to help the dog escape alive, but even then, Draco's plan still would have been better than what she had done.

"I don't know…I guess I wasn't thinking…" Draco scoffed. "Obviously." She glared and tried to pull away, but his grip around her arms tightened. "What if you're pregnant? What if you just risked our baby?"

Ginny's face flamed. Our baby? He had thought about it too? At his words, she had felt an intense pleasure race down her stomach and go to her core. Had those words really turned her on so instantaneously? Yes. But that wasn't the only reason she was flushed. This was not something she had ever talked to a man about. Even with six brothers, she had never, ever mentioned it to a bloke. Her mother and other girls had been her only confidants. "I'm not…there's ways to know. Two weeks after we had sex in the carriage, I ermm...I know I'm not pregnant."

It had been the only time it might have happened. She still didn't quite know what she had meant by having unprotected sex with him that night. But as it happened, there hadn't been a consequence, and they hadn't had unprotected sex since. Her heart leapt as she caught a flicker of disappointment on his face, before his expression went hard again. She couldn't help it. She had to know. She spoke quickly, not wanting to give him time to move away from this topic.

"Did you want me to be? I mean, we're not even out of school yet. We have no jobs, we're not married. The world's gone mad around us." He sighed and looked over her shoulder at the wall. She stood still and waited. After what felt like the longest moment of her life, he looked back at her.

"The last time He was in power, it was years. So whatever happens, it's all about adjusting. Figuring out how to live. I'm graduating soon. Less than five months now, and I honestly don't know what I'm going to be living for. What I have to look forward to. If it had happened… I never thought I'd want to be a dad this young. But having a kid. It'd give you something to live for, wouldn't it?" Ginny's mind was a mess. Less than five months, and he would be gone. He would be living in the Manor with his parents, the Dark Lord visiting freely and controlling his life. He wouldn't stand a chance. Not unless circumstances changed somehow.

She went to sit, slightly worried she was about to faint. He let go of her and sat on the bench across from her, looking more vulnerable than normal. Waiting for her to speak. Waiting to hear what she had to say about what could potentially change their lives forever. "You've really thought about this?"

He nodded slowly, and then began speaking as it became apparent she had nothing more to say. "I didn't want to scare you off, but I actually think it might be the best thing for us. If you're a mum, they wouldn't make you attend Hogwarts next year. If I'm a father, I'd have an excuse to not get too involved in missions. We'd be able to retreat to some remote country house, and no one would think it odd that our top priority would be our child. The Dark Lord would probably find it amusing, and use it to taunt my parents about the Malfoy line declining in quality or something, but I don't think anything else would happen. My parents would be embarrassed, but they wouldn't disown me. Even if we didn't get jobs right away, they'd make sure we had plenty to live on."

It was alarming how much sense Draco was making. He was right about his parents. As much as his father might detest hers, the likelihood of Lucius Malfoy disinheriting a pureblood grandchild was low. And having a baby did seem like it might keep them from being subjected to death eaters on a daily basis next year. Were they really talking about this? Was living together and raising a baby really what he wanted to do with his life? "Draco, a baby isn't just something you can use to make your life easier. We would be parents for the rest of our lives."

He didn't get mad or glare. He only looked at her with a perfectly serious expression. "I know. We'd become a family. It's what we've talked about before, isn't it? Just sooner than expected. I'm not scared of becoming a parent. I'm scared of being killed." Ginny realized suddenly that she was scared too. Scared of seeing Draco on the other side of a war; of having to fight against him. Scared of losing him, of not getting to see him. "I don't…I'm not…I need time to think."

He stood up at that. Ginny looked up at him, worry etched into her features. Was he upset? She watched him walk towards her, searching his face for any hint of what he might be thinking. She couldn't find anything. Reaching her, he took her face in his hands, leaned down, and kissed her. "If you have to think, then think. Just don't take too long." And then he turned around and left the changing rooms, no doubt on his way to lunch.

Ginny changed back into her robes, managed to catch the tail end of lunch, and then headed to her afternoon classes. The physical pain was now becoming more manageable, but she still couldn't concentrate. All she could think about was what Draco had said. Becoming parents. She knew that the idea shouldn't be as appealing as it was. She also couldn't help but fixate on the fact that Draco was willing to have her be the mother of his child. To bond himself to her in a permanent way. They could be together. With a child in the mix, everyone would have to support their relationship. It would solve so many problems. But was it the right thing to do? Whatever she decided, she knew she only had two days. He would want an answer by Sunday. Merlin, this was going to be a long weekend.


	12. Bread and Circuses

**Chapter 12: Bread and Circuses**

"Oi Weasley!" Ginny's head snapped around and she stared wide eyed at him. His grin grew and his eyes sparkled. "Got an admirer, eh?" Ginny's face was completely flushed. Lavender, who had been laughing not a moment before, suddenly thrusted her chin out and narrowed her eyes.

"Of course she does you prick. Any guy with half a brain can see what a catch she is. Much too good for you certainly. So why don't you sod off, and go ruin the life of some other girl?" Draco's mirth was gone, and in its place was anger. "Shut it you asinine bint. You couldn't spot a real man if you tried. Watching you run after Weasley last year must have been the most pathetic display I've ever seen. And you didn't even get him in the end." Lavender tensed, clutched at her wand, and began walking over to the Slytherin table. Alarmed, Ginny stood up and hurried over to get between them. Was Lavender mad? What was she planning to do? Hex someone in the middle of the Great Hall during breakfast with all the professors watching?

And to think, she had actually woken up excited for Valentine's Day. It was on a Saturday this year, and it was a Hogsmeade day like no other. Nearly everyone had a date, but even the prospect of having to see couples holding hands and giggling all day hadn't kept her from being excited. In an effort to restore some cheer to the world, Hogsmeade was going all out. There would be bands playing in the street, vendors with stalls selling all sorts of things, street shows performing on corners. Even first and second years were allowed to go.

Part of her knew she should detest it. It was an obvious effort to make them forget about all the horrible things they had endured this year. Being tortured for detention, having friends and family on the run, under arrest, or under suspicion. It was an attempt to make them believe everything was fine under a puppet government. Still, she couldn't help but buy into it. This was going to be the most fun she'd had in ages. And now, she would be the most festively dressed person there, thanks to Draco's gift.

She had been completely taken aback, when having sat down to breakfast, a school owl had soared overhead and dropped a bright red envelope onto her sausages. Dozens of eyes were now on the envelope, and conversation around her stilled. Ginny's anxiety had gone into overdrive. A howler. Had her parents somehow found out about her and Draco? Had she done something that led to her dad's arrest? She had been trying so hard to keep her head down since the dog.

Heart thumping, palms sweating, she ripped it open and tensed. The envelope flew up, folded up into a mouth, puckered for a kiss, and then opened for an explosion of confetti, paper hearts, and glitter. Bright, glittering letters lit up in the air. A message for everyone to read, although no voice accompanied it. It read simply, BE MINE. And then the letters fizzled out of sight. After a moment of stunned silence, her housemates began to talk and laugh. She sat there unmoving, unable to believe what had just happened. He had glitter bombed her. No one would ever believe it had been him. It was too at odds with how people viewed him. But they would know that somebody liked her.

Other girls would know someone was interested in her. That she had gotten a boy's attention on Valentine's Day. It was petty and possibly a little mean, but Ginny felt smug. Let them wonder who liked her. Let them be jealous. There was a group of girls that had been telling her for months now that no one would ever want her. That boys would only see her as used and tainted. That she was nothing but a slag.

Now, standing in the Great Hall between Draco and Lavender, she found herself scrambling for something to say. Something to do. Something that would diffuse the tension, but keep Lavender from realizing this was all a set up. That there was no secret admirer. That Draco had only been trying to make her feel wanted. "Jealous Malfoy? I notice you don't have anything plopping into your breakfast." She hoped her look could convey what she was thinking. That he would pick up on her plea to ignore Lavender and focus on her.

He looked at her blankly at first, but then twisted his face up and sneered. "Oh yes. Be covered in glitter and pathetic little paper hearts? How did you know? Please. I'd rather get hit in the head with a bludger."

"Well feel free to plummet off your broom when that happens. Certainly, all of us would be better off for it." Ginny blinked in shock, and even Draco was speechless. Lavender used the stunned silence as an opportunity to grab Ginny's arm, turn them away, and begin walking back to the Gryffindor table. Draco yelled a threat at their backs about how they'd shortly be taught how to speak to their betters, but Lavender ignored it. Her grip around Ginny's arm was tight enough that Ginny had no option other than to keep pace if she wanted to avoid being dragged across the Hall by the older girl.

Back at the table, people were telling Lavender 'well done' and smiling. Ginny stayed quiet. She had known her friends didn't like Draco. But to tell him that they wished him dead? It seemed cruel and malicious. She knew he didn't want any of them dead. He didn't even want any of them tortured or arrested. Was Lavender Brown actually more full of hate than Draco Malfoy?

She didn't think she was blinded by love. She couldn't only be thinking these things because she cared more and more about him every week. It was the right thing to do, the right thing to say. Ginny steeled herself, and looked up at Lavender with a fierce glare. "That was crossing a line Lavender." The students around her stopped smiling, and looked at her with a mixture of confusion and curiosity. Except Lavender, who puffed out her chest and looked at Ginny defensively. "Crossing a line? Me? He's the one who…you know exactly what he'll be doing after graduation. I'm not the one about to go off and terrorize innocent people."

Ginny spoke in a quiet hiss, loud enough for only the people nearest her to hear. "We're all doing things we don't want to. We're all scared, but hating each other is not the answer. Even in combat, Harry tries to do nothing but disarm death eaters. He'd be horrified at you telling anyone that you wanted them to die." Lavender's face went red. Ginny continued. "If you can't follow Harry's example, at least think of what Dumbledore always told us. About staying unified, about how the best thing to do to fight He Who Must Not Be Named was to trust in each other and work together."

A sense of sadness overtook everyone close enough to have heard her, and then Neville spoke. "Ginny's right. Dumbeldore never turned his back on a student. Not even someone like Malfoy. But isn't that how he got killed? Trusting people he shouldn't have? I get what you're saying Gin, but it's too idealistic. We want different things than people like Malfoy, and there's no getting around that." Ginny wanted to scream at him. Scream at everyone surrounding her. How could they really think this is what 'people like Malfoy' wanted? You Know Who had somehow managed to sniff out the most sadistic witches and wizards in the entire country, and they had become the face of death eaters. There were less than a dozen death eaters that actually seemed to like the violence. As far as Ginny could tell, all the other death eaters preferred not to see it up close.

But saying that would accomplish nothing good. There was no way for her to make people understand without putting Draco in danger. "Fine. You're right. We can't be unified. Still, I don't think we should wish each other dead." Breakfast was a tense affair after that. Once she was done eating, she got up and went to head outside. The carriages to get them to Hogsmeade were scheduled to leave in an hour. Until then, she planned to stay right here, hoping to be left alone.

This particular courtyard had always been her favourite. She sat on the edge of the stone fountain, and watched as the streams of water shot forth. It was cold enough that the water should have frozen overnight, but some enchantment had prevented it. The fountain itself was beautiful. Two water nymphs worked together to hold up a wailing toddler, from whose mouth spewed three streams of water. Having been curious, she had asked Hermione to translate the runes carved into the fountain, and found out the fountain was a tribute to the story of Ailfryd the Gurgler.

The legend was that as a baby, Ailfryd was often left by the edges of the lochs as his father hunted water monsters, and thus overheard the conversations of the water nymphs. Mimicking the sounds, he learned their language. Then one day when he was two or three, he saw his father being attacked by one of the water monsters, and was able to cry for the nymphs' help. Shocked by his ability to speak their language, the nymphs went to save his father, and formed a friendship with Ailfryd. He was the only wizard in recorded history to be allowed into their underwater kingdom. His account of it was still often studied as fact, despite it being centuries old and having a high likelihood of being embellished heavily by Ailfryd.

She wondered if she or her classmates would ever make history like that. Would Neville discover some new way to use a plant? Would it revolutionize how a potion was made? Would he find a cure to some untreatable malady? Would Luna discover a new species one day; prove one of her creatures was actually real? There was so much possibility, so much life to be lived.

And none of it would matter if they were all dead. She knew it was Draco's voice in her head. Knew that all of his talk about surviving and enduring had gotten to her. This wasn't the time to be thinking about futures. It was the time to be thinking about war and death and sacrifice. But she didn't want to. She wanted to be happy. To have fun. There was a moment where Ginny just sat, not thinking about anything. And then she pulled out her wand. When was the last time she had used magic just for fun? Far too long.

She began to charm the flagstones. A half hour later, she was smiling widely as her wand moved the stones around her in a perfect circle. This time last year, she could have levitated the stones, but never would she have managed to keep them in motion without some shaking and clattering back to the ground. Now, they whipped around her creating a cross breeze that caressed her face. If she closed her eyes, she could almost feel like she was flying. Feeling determined and full of confidence, Ginny snapped her eyes open and tried to move the flagstones in increasingly more complicated patterns. She made figure eights, parallel lines, letters of the alphabet, and finally a heart.

She stared at the heart and had the errant thought that she wished Draco was here so she could show him. She wanted to do something. Give him something. She knew it couldn't be big or obvious, but maybe…. The flagstones clattered to the ground. Ginny quickly flew them back into their spots, each nestling right back in amongst its neighbors. All but one. The missing flagstone was one of the smallest in the courtyard. She was able to hold it with one hand as she used her other hand to point her wand at it.

She used a very controlled 'secare' spell to cut a W into the stone. Then, underneath, she made an M so that the bottom of the W touched the top of the M. The final design looked like a diamond with four lines coming out of it. No one who didn't know what to look for would be able to figure it out. Flipping the stone over, Ginny took a deep breath and bit her lip. It took incredible concentration to make sure the tip of her wand remained knife sharp as she cut the letters into the stone. By the time she was done, there was sweat on her brow. But she had written it.

She was trying to think of a way to charm it somehow, make it look nicer, when the clock chimed 10 o'clock. She was out of time. She frowned at it, knowing it didn't look like much quite yet, but it was a good start at least. Charming it to be lightweight, she dropped it into her robe pocket and raced to where the carriages were waiting.

Not particularly eager to be around Lavender so soon after what happened at breakfast, Ginny ended up sharing a carriage with her old dormmates Lizzie and Antigone. Antigone had followed Lizzie's lead and only begun speaking to her again once Lizzie made it clear she had reaccepted Ginny. Ginny could have let this bother her, but honestly, she didn't care enough. They had never been best friends. More like friends of convenience.

Inside the carriage, Antigone sat with her boyfriend on one bench, while Ginny and Lizzie sat across. It had the potential to be an awkward ride, but in fact, Antigone was doing a bang up job of pretending the last few months of ignoring Ginny had never happened. She had launched right into conversation, and Ginny felt herself smiling as the girls went back and forth with each other. Eventually of course, the events of breakfast had to come up, but even that wasn't awkward.

"So you don't have any idea at all who it was?" Ginny shrugged, and Antigone rolled her eyes. "Boys are so thick. How in Merlin's name did he expect anything to happen without signing his name? Idiots, the lot of them."

"Oi! Sitting right here." Smiling at her boyfriend, Antigone grabbed his hand and kissed his cheek. "And while the flowers were lovely, did you sign the card?" She batted her eyes innocently, smile still in place, as the girls watched him go red. "And just who else would they be from?"

Antigone let go of his hand and waved it dramatically through the air. "Oh you know, one of my many admirers. Did I tell you about that fifth year who was sweet enough to let me borrow his cloak? He saw me headed out to Herbology without one. I was just lamenting the cold, when he appeared out of nowhere, offering it to me like a perfect gentleman." Ginny suppressed her laughter at the look on Titus' face.

Her mind drifted as Antigone and Titus continued to talk, her thoughts straying to her own relationship. What if another boy really had been interested in her? Given her a gift this morning? What would Draco's reaction have been? Her heart beat faster as she imagined multiple scenarios. Draco storming over and burning the envelope. Draco yanking her up and kissing her, declaring to the Hall that he was the only man she needed. Him taking her to an empty classroom and fucking her possessively, reminding her that she was his.

She wished suddenly that she was in a carriage alone. That she could pull out her flagstone and keep working on it. "Oh we're here!" Ginny's head lifted, and her ears perked up. The sounds of the other carriages were getting louder, as were the noises of Hogsmeade. Already, Ginny could hear laughter, happiness, and cheer. No one spoke as they all waited in anticipation for the threstals to halt. The promise of a festival was almost too good to be true. She worked to temper her excitement, not quite trusting that the wizarding world would be able to have a simple day of fun. And then the carriage ground to a stop, the door popping open.

Stepping out of the carriage, Ginny couldn't help but gasp. The main street of Hogsmeade was already full of people milling about, looking at the stalls set up that were selling everything from cider to jewelry. Looking up, she saw a group of witches that were diving through levitating hoops of fire. A group of small children were off to her left, clustered around a puppet show. Music wafted through the air, though the source wasn't visible. And right in front of her face was a big, pink bubble. Ginny watched as a carriage full of first years burst open, shrieks of delight quickly following.

"Oh this is brilliant! Come on Ginny! Don't just stand there! Let's go!" Laughing, Ginny allowed herself to be pulled into the crowd by Lizzie. They spent nearly an hour looking at stalls and talking to the vendors. Half a dozen of them had been more than happy to talk, recognizing Ginny as Arthur's girl or the sister of one of her older brothers. They had all kept the conversation light, aware that death eaters were likely in the crowd. And yet, it was nice to be reminded that through her family, she was well connected with the wider wizarding world.

But being carefree could never last long. They were outside of Honeydukes, sipping steaming mugs of Maple Mead, when Ginny found herself frozen in place. Her muscles had gone taut, her breathing had stopped, and she hoped desperately to be anywhere else. "Enjoying yourselves ladies?" Ginny managed a small jerk of her head, but otherwise didn't move. She recognized him. Travers. He wasn't dressed as a deatheater. In fact, he looked almost pleasant. He was wearing Ministry robes and had on thick glasses, a huge smile adorning his face. Ginny watched Lizzie smile back and excitedly tell him that this had been the best Hogsmeade trip ever. He nodded, confided that the Minister was thinking of something special for May Day as well, and then left them to check in with other students.

"Did you hear that Gin? A May Day celebration! Oh, I wonder what they'll do? A maypole obviously. Oh! What if they do the traditional dancing? My grandmum always wanted me to learn, but my parents never quite…Ginny? Are you alright?" She didn't know why that particular interaction had hit her so hard. But it had.

She knew from things she had overheard that Travers was a deatheater. That he was working to carry out his Lord's plans. But he was also here. In public. Working as a Ministry official and making sure they were having fun. He had even smiled at them for Merlin's sake! The deatheaters weren't working to kill them all. She had known that, but this was the first time she had really experienced it outside of school. They weren't harmless. They were working to kill members of the Order, meaning her family and friends. They were changing laws to persecute muggleborns. But for most of the wizarding population, they weren't a threat. They were being left alone.

As she looked around the festival, it was as if she was seeing it with new eyes. How many of these people didn't know that the Minister was imperiused? How many of them thought You Know Who and the death eaters were still underground? How many of them were pretending that all the changes and new laws meant nothing important? "Lizzie, that was a death eater." She watched as the other girl's smile disappeared. "What?"

Ginny swallowed and looked around. "Not here. Keep talking about Beltane. Where do you think the bonfire will be?" Lizzie hesitated, and then slowly began talking again. Ginny paid hardly any attention. Her thoughts were a whirl. Up ahead, a play was being put on. The actors were in the middle of the street, a huge crowd of spectators circled around. A sonorous charm worked to make the actors' voices carry easily, and Ginny recognized it as the story of Darius the Doomed.

It was a common story, all about a wizard who married a muggle. At first, their marriage is happy and then she falls ill. Darius insists that she rests, and takes care of the housework and cooking for her. Stunned by the ease in which he accomplishes everything, she becomes frequently tired, ill, and even just lazy, knowing he will do all her work for her without issue. Magic or not, doing all the work wears on Darius, and he demands she help more. She refuses, saying there is no point to her wasting her energy on something when he can just use magic. He ends up overwhelmed, trying to maintain everything by himself. In the version her mother had always told her, the story ends when he goes out to farm, leaving multiple charms going on inside. The charm that was washing clothes speeds up and ends up leaving the clothes in tatters. The charm set to chop vegetables begins to go amuck, chopping the cutting board, the floor, the chair legs, and anything else it can find. The charm to wash the dishes causes the sink to overflow and the dishes to slide off the counter and shatter on the floor. Appalled at the disaster, the wife realizes magic isn't always the answer, and agrees to start helping again. The theme of the story is to understand that magic takes work as well.

Ginny watched with alarm though, as the kitchen disaster scene cleared, and the wife stomped up to the husband angrily. "You old dung bat! Look what you did! With magic, you should be able to fix all our problems!" The man playing Darius looked down and shuffled his feet. "But dear, I told you this would happen. If only…" The woman pointed a finger at him and squinted meanly. "Fix it now or I'll tell all the neighbors of your magic." He looked up in fright, and then fell to his knees. "Please! I love you!" She sneered and crossed her arms. "If you loved me, you would use your magic to get us a manor and a vault of gold. You would create beautiful dresses and jewels for me to wear." Ginny noticed the children in the crowd were all booing the woman, and felt uneasy.

"I told you, I can't. Magic doesn't.." "Oh poo! Magic can do whatever you want it to! You're only being mean and selfish. Give me the life I deserve! Give it now!" The play continued with Darius tearfully trying to explain that magic didn't work that way, but his wife would hear none of it. Eventually, she lost her temper, and stormed out, shouting that he had brought his fate upon himself. The play ended with the narrator stepping on stage, lamenting that the villagers had run Darius out of town, never to be heard from again. Then, he reminded them all that the story was a timeless tale, and to be ever vigilant against a muggle discovering their magic.

Ginny could only stare. They had changed the theme. Changed it so the lesson was that muggles would only want to use you for your magic, threatening you if you didn't give them all they desired. It had been done well. It had a ring of truth to it. The children had eaten it up, seeing the muggle wife as a terrible villain and Darius as an idiot for ever trusting her. The worst part? There was nothing in the play that she could point to and say it couldn't happen.

She knew halfbloods that had a muggle parent. By all accounts, their parents were wonderful people and very much in love. But there were also selfish, horrible people in the world. And the possibility that one of those people might be a muggle who would try and use magic for their own gain was not inconceivable. You did have to be vigilant. Of course you couldn't let just any muggle know about magic. You had to get to know them, trust them, be sure they were a good person. Most of the stories she had heard, the witch or wizard hadn't told their spouse about magic until they were married or had kids.

She scanned the crowd, and managed to catch a glimpse of him. Telling Lizzie she had to go, Ginny shoved her way through the crowd. On the corner, Seamus was sitting, his face a bright red. Ginny ignored Neville, and crouched down to be eye level with him. "You alright?" Seamus looked up, and clenched his fists. "It's not like that. Da had a row with mum one night 'bout why she couldna' just vanish the rubbish, but they were kissin' an hour later." Ginny nodded, and worked to keep her own curiosity at bay. How did it work then? Was there really no jealousy over one of them being able to do magic? How had the two cultures melded? Did Seamus get pepper up potion when sick, or some sort of muggle medicine? Did the family floo places, or did they all pile into a car? She knew it would be rude to ask. But the truth was she couldn't imagine marrying a muggle. When she imagined her future family, it was very much magical.

"Aw, poor Finnegan. Play hit a little too close to home for you?" Ginny's head snapped up to see that Pansy Parkinson and Tracey Davis were standing before them. Before she even had a moment to react, Seamus had jumped up, his eyes flashing dangerously. "Fuck off Parkinson." Ginny's hand was in her pocket, clutched around her wand, ready to do battle. But strangely, Seamus was still wandless and seemed in no rush to duel.

Instead, he slid his gaze over to Tracey. "What did you think Davis?" Tracey furrowed her brow in confusion for a moment, and then she sneered. "I think they depicted it wonderfully. Any witch or wizard stupid enough to marry a muggle deserves a life of misery. If I were you with a muggle for a father, I'd have run from home ages ago."

He smiled at her, but it was a very unsettling smile. All Ginny could think of was a predator's smile. "I'm the one who should denounce my parents? Run from home? That's rich. From what I've heard, domestic abuse is just another day at home sweet home. Raging temper your dad has, eh?" Tracey had gone stiff and pale. Seamus only seemed more invigorated by her reaction. "Can't blame your dad really. Stuck with an imbiber for a wife." Ginny's eyes widened and she barely kept from gasping. An imbiber was one of those desperately ragged people, huddled under some shabby cloak in Kncokturn Alley, begging for the next bit of potion they'd become addicted to. Pansy's eyes narrowed into slits as she stepped in front of Tracey who looked near tears. "Watch your mouth! We'll see what your mum does when they start obliviating the muggles. Your dad won't remember you or your pathetic mum."

"Pansy, that law is nothing but a rumour at the moment. And absolutely _no one _would thank you for working people up over it." Draco's voice cut through, deep and authoritative. Ginny jerked her head around at the voice, not having noticed him come over. As always, his mere presence seemed to excite her, and she had to forcibly keep herself from being drawn to him. From staring at him. There were more important things afoot. "But Draco, he…"

"I said drop it. Whatever he did or said is not worth it. Now keep your mouth shut and go. You're attracting attention." As one, they all seemed to become aware of the three Ministry officials watching them. The officials looked grim and ready for action. Their group was disturbing the peace; poking a hole in the happy façade the Ministry wanted to maintain. Pansy suddenly looped her arm through Tracey's and smiled. And then as cheerfully as possible, she looked Seamus in the face and said "With any luck, you'll be fatherless by summer. If not, trust that I will be heavily advocating for obliviating any muggle that knows of us. Come on Trace." And then they were off, leaving Neville, Seamus and Ginny with Draco and Theodore Nott.

To everyone's shock, it was Theo who spoke next. "Your mum's a Healer then?" Seamus flushed at the question, and Ginny was relieved to see that he felt at least a bit embarrassed about what he had said to Tracey. "My aunt is." Nott nodded, and made no comment. He didn't have to. Now that the heat of the moment had passed, Seamus was pouring out words, needing to explain. "I didn't mean to say all that. It's just absolute bullocks that she'd stand there judging my parents when it's hers that are so bloody awful! D'you know her mum's been treated for overdosing over a dozen times? Always comes in bruised too, so my aunt says. Layered with glamour charms."

No one spoke as Seamus continued, and eventually his voice petered out into nothing. He stared at them all, and then Draco spoke. "Look, I get it Finnigan. Go for the family, take the cheap shot. It's fine. It's what I would have done. Come on Theo. Heard they're selling firewhiskey somewhere around here." Ginny couldn't help but feel the sting of disappointment as the Slytherins left. He hadn't even acknowledged her. She might as well not even have been there.

Seamus stood there, gaping like a fish, and then cursed up a storm. Neville and Ginny shared an alarmed look, but Seamus didn't even notice. Eventually, he calmed down enough to speak coherently. "It's what I would have done. Absolute prick. Now I got no bloody choice. A proper apology. Would rather face off with a giant than apologize to her. Where do you think they went to then?" The last bit was directed at them, and Ginny soon found herself roped into searching for Tracey Davis.

Fifteen long minutes later, she caught a glimpse of Seamus outside of the Hogs' Head, sheepishly talking to Tracey. Horribly annoyed at having wasted her time in a futile search, Ginny went off to find Lizzie and enjoy the rest of the day. For the most part, it worked. They had a late lunch, walked around, listened to the live music, and blew pink bubbles. Ginny could almost ignore the fact that seeing all the couples and hearing all the love songs wasn't making her chest ache with want.

As dusk fell, the carriages carried them back to the Castle where Ginny had a quiet dinner and a late night in her room, working on her flagstone. At the moment, the flagstone seemed like her only comfort in the world. She knew it was a dramatic thought. That her mind was unstable. But the flagstone felt so solid, so real, when nothing else did.

It felt as if her whole life was an illusion at the moment. As much as she had enjoyed the day, she had also hated it. People were dying, being tortured. Luna was being held prisoner. And the world seemed intent on ignoring it. Life went on. She could be angry at them for not taking a stand, for being scared, except she was too. And the only way she could think to be happy in this world, this world of Him being in charge, was to retreat to the countryside and isolate herself. She could create her own paradise out there. Have a life of peace, happiness, and safety.

Staring at her flagstone, she drew comfort from what she saw. The design on the front now shimmered a sparkling green. Around the edges, she had managed to chisel runes. One for family. One for peace. One for love. One for protection. The runes glowed gold, and she felt intensely bound to them. They were promises to herself. Promises that her life would have these things. That she was making the right choice. She went to sleep that night, clutching the flagstone to herself.

"Gin, it's….I love it. It's brilliant." Ginny's entire face was one big grin. Draco was sitting cross legged on her bed, flipping the flagstone back over and rereading it. For Our Future. It was what she had carved into the back, and he had his own small grin on as he read over it again.

"I was thinking one day, maybe, it could be put in our garden or something." He looked up, hearing the nervousness in her voice, and placed the flagstone carefully onto the end table. Her heart beat erratically as he grabbed her, yanking her into his lap. "Whatever you want. But now it's my turn to show off. Close your eyes." Ginny did so without hesitation, trusting him completely.

She had no idea what he was planning to do. They were both still fully dressed, not counting shoes, so it wouldn't be sex related. He had already come down here with a box of assorted sweets, so she didn't think it'd be another gift. She was wrong. It was sexual. He was taking off her shirt, and she sighed at the feel of his fingers. She knew what would come next. He would remove her bra and then tease her nipples. Slow and agonizing, but worth the reward. But to her shock, her bra remained on and his fingers disappeared. Instead, something totally unexpected happened.

Her eyes flew open at the feeling of cool metal sliding around her upper arm. His eyes snapped to hers. "It'll come off only for you. If someone tries to force it off, it will burn them." She looked down at her arm and could only stare. Encircling her upper arm was a thin but wide band of silver, forged into a complex pattern of runes and designs. Was it some form of jewelry?

"It's an arm band. Not the most fashionable I know, but it's what the Vikings used to wear. It's more than a few centuries old at this point, but the magic is still potent. My mother gave it to me, an old family heirloom, but I want you to have it. If you're ever in danger, it will heat up to let you know. Not the about to get detention type of danger. More like the someone is looking to kill you type."

"Is it dark magic?" She watched his brow furrow and then he shook his head. "I don't think so, no. I mean, it's protection magic, isn't it?" Ginny took a deep breath and tried to remain calm. "What you said means it can read people's intentions. Get into their heads. I'm not, I'm not so sure I'm comfortable with that." She knew he was beginning to get angry. Offended. No doubt he had expected her to think it sweet. And she did appreciate the sentiment. Wanting to protect her and all. But she couldn't stand magic that messed with anyone's minds. Not after Tom. Not after that horrible diary.

"Ginevra Molly Weasley, you are wearing that armband, and it is not up for discussion." She looked at him in shock, taking note of his serious expression, and something swooped through her. In that moment, he wasn't a teenager. He was a man. A future husband and father who fully expected to be obeyed as master of his household. She could have been intimidated, but really, she was just turned on. "Alright." They stared at each other for a long moment, and then they were snogging. Ginny's arms were thrown around his neck and his were securely on her hips, holding her steady in his lap.

Pulling back, Ginny traced his jawline while taking in his features. She wondered what their child would look like. "What is it?" Ginny knew she didn't have to say it. That she could simply say nothing and they could go back to snogging. But her entire body felt light and happy, and her confidence about their relationship was at an all time high. And as sure as she was about what he felt for her, she wanted to hear it. Wanted the verbal confirmation.

"Just, who would have ever thought it? That such a spoiled brat would grow into the man I've fallen in love with." She watched him blink, digest what she said, and then smile back. A wave of relief went through her. "And who would have thought the scrappy little pauper would become the witch I love." Her entire face lit up and a wave of energy rushed through her. "Really? You do?" His kissed her then. A long, deep kiss, and then he locked gazes with her. "Yes. I do."


	13. Priorities

**Chapter 13: Priorities**

"And the bludger is hurtling towards her! Brace for it Weasely!" Ginny, paying heed to the announcer's warning, clutched tightly at her broom and tried a last minute, desperate swerve. She knew it wouldn't be enough. Her eyes were closed and her body was braced for impact, but it never came. Had Tiberius or Rhydian managed to get over in time? No. Something was wrong. Everything had gone quiet. Opening her eyes, she turned her head and searched the Pitch wildly, trying to figure out what had happened. "And the bludger, it um, it switched directions. Aiming right for Cottington now!"

The announcer tried valiantly to keep commenting on the game, but the crowd wasn't interested. The crowd's roaring gradually got louder and louder, but it was a condemning roar. There was no cheering. They were booing. Madame Hooch blew her whistle over and over again, stopping the game, and Ginny hovered in midair, looking around in desperate confusion. The Ravenclaw captain was racing over to meet Madame Hooch, and his voice carried right to Ginny. "That's cheating that is! That bludger bounced! Weasley's got a shield charm around her!"

"Thank you Mr. Rockwood! I am perfectly capable of identifying charms myself! Now leave off before I penalize you as well!" Shield charm? Cheating? Anger overtook her. Before she knew what she was doing, she had flown over to Rockwood and Hooch, screaming at them red faced. "I didn't cheat you bloody pillock! Here!" In a fit of anger, she yanked her robe pockets inside out, and rolled her sleeves up. "No wand! You probably had one of your toadies cast it on me, knowing you'd never win in a fair fight!"

"Never win? I could beat you one handed you trussed up trollop!"

"Please! I'd like to see you try you wanker!"

"Enough!" Madame Hooch bellowed, effectively silencing the two. "Whoever cast the charm, the rules are clear. 10 foul shots for Ravenclaw. End of discussion." Ginny flew off steaming, anger simmering away as she watched Ravenclaw take the foul shots. 100 points, down the drain. And for what? Had someone actually charmed her? Who would it have been?

It could have been a Ravenclaw desperate for a win. But none of them had ever done something like this before. The more she thought about it, the more unlikely it seemed. Someone had charmed her for another reason. The game continued on without incident, and Ginny caught the snitch, giving them a win of 70 points. Not nearly enough to catch up with Slytherin. Draco had yet to lose a match as seeker. Harry would have been able to beat him, but without Harry around, Draco seemed nearly untouchable on the Pitch.

She headed straight towards the locker rooms, not in the mood to celebrate the win. It was a bitter victory, knowing it should have been a win of 170 points, not 70. Apparently Jannice felt the same. Storming in right after Ginny, the girl threw her pads off and glared at Ginny. "What the hell was that! A shield charm? Are you mental! We only have two more games left in the season and we are trailing Slytherin by over 200 points! We cannot afford to toss 100 points out like that." Ginny yelled right back.

"Bite me Jannice! I had nothing to do with that! I don't cheat!"

"Maybe. But your boyfriend does, doesn't he?"

Ginny's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Excuse me?"

Jannice scoffed. "Oh sorry. Not boyfriend. Right. I meant that bastard who shags you whenever he wants. Much better."

Bewildered by Jannice's theory, her anger gave way to confusion. "Malfoy? He has nothing to do with this. He couldn't give a rat's arse if I got pummeled."

Jannice only continued to glare. "I didn't say he cared about you. Any idiot can see he's just using you. And he just used you to ensure Slytherin is going to win the House Cup! We'll never catch up now!"

Ginny blinked, and then set her mouth in a firm line. She wanted to say he wouldn't have done that. That he wouldn't have humiliated her in front of the whole school, labeling her a cheater, only to ensure he won the House Cup. It would be low, dirty, and selfish. And if she had been anyone else, it was exactly what she would expect from him. Bullocks. It had been him.

"Shut the hell up Jannice." And with that, she stormed back out of the changing room, forgoing the shower or change of clothes. She needed to talk to him. Now.

Spotting him, she shouldered her way through the crowd forcefully, no doubt leaving a few bruised spectators in her wake. "Malfoy!" He glanced over his shoulder, spotted her, and sneered. "Not now Weasely. You look and smell like you've just crawled out of the dirt. Go shower and change, and then maybe I'll be willing to." He had turned back around and continued walking forward with the crowd, so she had no choice but to rush forward and shove him.

Any satisfaction she got from shoving him was quickly erased by his reaction. Whipping around, he had his wand pointed at her face and a cold expression. "Touch me again without my permission, and you'll be one very sorry little girl." She crossed her arms in front of her chest and matched his glare, ignoring the breathless feeling he had caused in her. Merlin, was he sexy when he was angry. "Did you do it? Was it you who cast that charm?" While he tried to hide it, she saw quite clearly the panic that flashed through his eyes. She saw red.

"You absolute tosser! You forced that penalty to keep us from the House Cup! Slytherin ought to be disqualified! Too cowardly to even see who would win fair and square!" He hexed her before she could hit him. Infuriated as her arms grew feathers and her mouth elongated into a beak, she tried to keep attacking. It was a lost cause. Draco was being pummeled by nothing more than feathers, and the squawks coming out of her mouth were unintelligible.

People were laughing, and Ginny began tearing up, embarrassed and hurt. "Fly Gin." It was nothing but a whisper, but she heard him. Draco went right back to loudly ridiculing her, and she was sure no one had noticed his quick aside to her. It was stupid. She would fall. She would look like a complete loon if it didn't work. It came down to if she trusted him. She flapped her arms-turned-wings, and suddenly she was in the air.

Ginny heard people gasp in awe as she hovered above their heads. Regaining her confidence, she flattened her body out and flapped her wings again. They propelled her forward, and she did a few more flaps, much to her peers' admiration, before she brought her shoulders back and dove for Draco. She saw Draco smile slightly before he waved his wand and her arms began transforming back. Abandoning her plan of attack, she managed to safely make it back to the ground by flapping frantically and readjusting her body.

Out of breath, she stayed in her crouched position, trying to process all that had happened. "You fly better as a bird than a seeker Weasely. Maybe that's how your pathetic team can catch up. Recruit some sort of fowl to replace you." She looked on as he walked off, Draco not waiting around to bask in the laughter he had caused like normal. His uncharacteristic retreat didn't seem to be noticed by anyone other than her, and she was smart enough not to draw attention to it. Something was wrong. He had cast that shield charm, and he didn't want anyone to know.

A kiss. A kiss had been all that was needed to completely derail her plan of confronting him on Sunday night. Still disillusioned, he had snuck up from behind as the stones finished closing, and placed a kiss right where her neck met her collarbone. She had found herself gasping, and sinking back into him as his arms snaked around her waist. He was so warm, so strong, so secure. Involuntarily, she felt all of the tension ease out of her.

"So how was Finnegan today?" Ginny turned so she could see him and his arrogant smirk. Honestly. She threw her hands around his neck and looked right into his eyes. "He seemed a bit distracted. It does not mean though, that you are right." His eyes lit up and she spoke before he could. "You are not a matchmaker Draco Malfoy. You know nothing about romance, or anything about Seamus."

He scoffed. "What's to know? He's a Gryffindor. Idiotically noble. Delusionally optimistic. No doubt he thinks of himself as Tracey's knight in shining armor, ready to whisk her away from her horrible home life." Ginny's mouth thinned as she realized that Draco was very possibly on to something. Ever since Valentine's Day over two weeks ago, Seamus had been heading to the library alone, supposedly to not be distracted as the NEWT exams inched closer and closer. However oftentimes, he came to lunch or dinner after time spent in the library looking distinctly flushed and pleased in a way that had her suspecting he had spent very little time studying.

"And what do you mean I know nothing about romance?" Ginny smiled at his offended expression and mumbled 'never mind' before kissing him. He kissed back, but once they pulled apart, she was shocked to see him frowning. "Draco?"

"Shut up for a second." It was indicative of the times that instead of indignation, she instead felt a burst of fear. Had he heard something? Was someone on the other side of the wall? He had pulled away from her and had his wand out, prompting her to grab hers out of her pocket as well. And then she stood there stunned as he began changing everything in her room into shades of pink. Alarmed, she yanked his wand down mid-incantation, and stared at him in horror. He snapped at her. "What! I'm being romantic!" Ginny gaped. "Romantic? How in Merlin's name is this romantic?"

"I don't bloody know! But Madame Puddifoot's is apparently romantic and that place has pink all over the place." He stood there angrily, as Ginny burst into laughter. She knew her mirth was irritating him. She really did try and get herself under control. Still, how could she not laugh? Eventually, she managed to compose herself enough to speak without the threat of succumbing to laughter again. By this point, he had sat down on her chair with arms crossed, and was glaring at her.

"Sorry. You're right. Madame Puddifoot's is romantic. But not because of the pink. It's nice because of the small, two person tables. Because of the fine china and the embroidered cloth napkins that make it feel fancy. Because of the soft music and quiet atmosphere that makes it seem perfect for having an intimate conversation."

He snorted. "As if anyone would really have an intimate conversation in a public tea shop. The only thing I ever saw there was awkward small talk and girls giggling." She shrugged and forced herself to not say anything about how that was all Pansy was probably capable of. Draco's ex had been particularly nasty to her these past few months, and Ginny had no love lost for her. Instead, she kept the focus on herself.

"I don't know. Dean and I had some pretty nice conversations in there." There was a moment of heavy silence, as they both realized they had broached the subject of exes. It wasn't something they had ever spoken about. Of course she knew he had been with Pansy. And while she wasn't sure if he had known about Michael or Dean, he certainly would have known about Harry. The whole school had known about her and Harry. Despite his best efforts, Harry had always been a school celebrity.

"Well if an intimate atmosphere is really what makes it romantic, then we can't do better than here can we?" Ginny knew what he was doing. It was an out, a way to keep the focus on the present. Ginny took it. She smiled at him, walked over, and straddled his lap. "No, we can't." And then they were snogging.

It was over an hour later that Ginny found herself naked on the bed, her legs bent so that the back of her ankles rested on Draco's shoulders. He was thrusting as deeply as he could, a desperation in both of them that exceeded normal sexual desire. She heard herself scream as an orgasm overtook her. Draco followed not long after, but instead of rolling off of her, he stayed, his cock still securely in her. They were both breathing deeply. A drop of sweat fell from his forehead onto her breast. Still, neither of them moved.

"Tell me your schedule again." Ginny nodded, and tried to bring her thoughts back into focus. "My morning class ends half past eleven, and then I have back to back afternoon classes from one until a quarter to five."

"Right, so the morning is out. I have back to back classes in the morning. We'll have to do five then." Ginny nodded, and then moved on to her Tuesday schedule. It wasn't until they had gone through all five days, that he finally allowed himself to roll off and collapse next to her. Ginny immediately stuck her legs up, and pointed her toes towards the ceiling. It was made slightly easier by the pillow she had put under her arse, but her thighs still strained with the effort. All she wanted was to collapse and curl up next to Draco. But this was more important.

It wasn't that she was desperate to become a mum. In fact, the idea still terrified her. But she knew the stakes, particularly for Draco, and she was willing to do anything in her power to save him from having to kill and torture when he didn't want to. Last month had been the first time they had tried for a baby in earnest. She hadn't really known too much about the process, but as it turned out, Draco did.

He hadn't been lying to her that day in the Quidditch changing room when he told her he had been seriously thinking about a baby being the best thing for them. In fact, he had been thinking about it for at least a month. He had spent hours during Christmas Break sequestered away in his family library, reading through books about pregnancy. He had known his mother had likely bought any she could find when she was trying to conceive.

And so, Ginny had made a rough calculation for when she would be most fertile, and they had tried to make the most of it, even taking the risk of having sex between classes. She didn't really know how much she had expected it to work until she got her menses two weeks later. At the sight of blood, she had actually broken down crying in the girl's loo, feeling as if her body had failed her. As if she had failed Draco.

If she was older, if she was married, she could ask her mum. She could get advice on what to try or what to eat, or even ask for something to increase fertility. She felt sure there must be a potion or even a type of tea that was created for that purpose, but she didn't know it, or have any way to find out. For the first time, she was grateful for the jokes she had heard all her life about Weasley fertility. She was hoping desperately that there was some truth to it, and that she had inherited it.

For now, the only thing they knew to change, was to try and make sure she spent time after sex in a position that would help Draco's essence go down deep into her body. It made the prospect of sex during the week much more difficult. Last month they had done quick shags between classes, and Ginny had run to class right after. Apparently that wasn't ideal for their purposes. She thought getting pregnant was supposed to be a natural, simple thing. Wasn't that part of the reason sex before marriage was frowned upon? As far as she could tell, the chances of sex leading to pregnancy without any effort were not nearly as high as she had been led to believe.

"Do you think there's any truth to the rumour that the Carrows are more than siblings?" Ginny made a face that blatantly showed her disgust, and then shivered. "Ugh! Is that really the rumour going round?" Draco laughed. "Yeah. I wouldn't be surprised if it turned out to be more than a rumour, really." Ginny put a thoughtful expression on, and worked to study Draco. His eyes narrowed suspiciously, already anticipating her teasing. "What?"

"Nothing. Just, they are unhinged, aren't they?" His brow furrowed, trying to figure out what she was really getting at. She was more serious than he expected. She was thinking about something more than just an incest rumour. Ginny knew he was trying to read her. Trying to understand the subtext. She wasn't too surprised when he caught on. She knew he was clever.

"If you're looking for me to denounce all followers of the Dark Lord, you're barking up the wrong tree Weasley." Ginny drew in a sharp breath. He hadn't called her Weasley in private for what felt like ages. He was fuming. And so was she.

"Draco Malfoy. Don't you dare Weasely me. I am giving up a chance at my NEWTS for you. I am trying to have a baby for you. The least you can do is not shut me out."

His mouth twitched and his chest puffed out in anger. "Fine. You want to know my thoughts? My thoughts are that death eaters are some of the most intelligent, well bred, powerful, and admirable wizards in Britain. The dark mark, that was the mistake. They should have figured out a way to use the Dark Lord instead of letting him use them. There is always going to be the insane fanatics. But you don't let them be the leaders. Do you know how degrading it is to be associated with the Snatchers? With deranged lunatics?"

Ginny jumped in, unable to keep quiet. "Are you honestly implying that the death eaters are not lunatics? Your Aunt Bellatrix is-"

"Yes! Alright! Don't finish that sentence by the way. I'll concede that there might a few that have lost the plot."

"Plot? What plot! What is your father even fighting for?" He stared at her, and Ginny realized that Draco didn't even really know. She felt her heart leap. "Draco, in all honesty, why is your father a death eater? What does he want to accomplish?"

Draco's brow furrowed. "He joined because the Dark Lord promised power." Ginny blinked, trying to keep her expression neutral. She believed Draco completely. Lucius Malfoy was power hungry. So power hungry, that he had no qualms about stepping on those he considered inferior to get to the top. She remembered quite clearly how in the Department of Mysteries, he had so easily dismissed Ron, Neville, Luna and herself as expendable. He hadn't cared if they were tortured, killed, or left unharmed. As long as they were out of his way. While Lucius might not get joy out of killing, he certainly wasn't bothered by it.

But Draco wasn't like that. Sure, Draco wanted power. He wanted to influence and maybe even intimidate others. But not at any cost. He couldn't stand the thought of killing someone. Even when their murder was the only way to save his own life and that of his mother. He couldn't even stand the thought of torturing someone. Just watching people get crucioed bothered him. And as she looked at him, she realized that he thought his father was the same. He didn't realize how cold hearted his father was to others. Draco loved his father, and wanted to think the best of him. Was she really going to try and ruin that?

"Alright, so he joined for power. To be influential and have everyone fear and admire him. But as a group, what do the death eaters want? What is their ideology exactly?"

Draco looked at a complete loss. She didn't know if she was exasperated or relieved. "That wasn't ever really stated exactly. I guess the statue they put up at the Ministry? Magic is Might? That would cover it. Magic is the superior force in the world. Therefore we must guard it well. Keep it in magical families. Keep it from being twisted and turned." Draco was picking up confidence with every word, and Ginny thought frantically how to turn the conversation around.

"So you want to deny wizards the right to live how they want?" Draco stopped and stared at her in confusion, while Ginny tried to gather her thoughts. "That's what you're saying. Deny wizards and witches the right to marry who they want. Even the right to do magic if they're not pure enough. No one is saying magic doesn't need to be protected. No one is saying magic isn't powerful, that it's not special."

"Yes they are! That's exactly what people are saying. That magic isn't special. That any muggle with a spark of magic can come in and eclipse those born and raised magically. They're trying to tear our culture away from us. Infect it with muggle gadgets and ideas."

"Well then pass laws to preserve our culture! But don't imprison and kill people over it!"

"That's exactly what I want to do!"

"Then why are we fighting!"

"I don't know!"

There was a beat of silence as they both processed what had been said, and then Ginny's whole body curled up, and she rolled into his chest. His arms went around her and his chin rested on the top of her head. They both lay there, thinking their own thoughts, feeling lost about what exactly it was they were supposed to feel. Ginny was by no means questioning the fact that the Order was in the right. It was perfectly clear You Know Who had to be killed and the psychotic death eaters had to be defeated. Muggleborns needed to be freed from persecution. But she also felt inexplicably tied to Draco. Allied to him, which should be at odds with her beliefs, but somehow didn't feel like it. Somehow, she was still a staunch supporter of the Order, while also not minding Draco pursuing his own agenda for the wizarding world.

Eventually, she pulled herself out of her thoughts and looked around for a way to lighten the mood again. It was then that she remembered the Quidditch incident. She didn't want another fight tonight, but they had to talk about it. Maybe if she brought it up without any anger. If she gave him the benefit of the doubt. She kissed his chest, and then pushed herself away so that she could see his face.

"Draco? Why the shield charm yesterday?" Her tone appeared to have worked. He only looked at her, and then ran his hand down her side to rest on her stomach. "I know the chance is slim. But we did manage to find time Friday night. I realized you were about to be hit, and I guess I panicked. I knew you'd be fine even if you fell, but if there was the start of a life in you, well, any blunt trauma would kill it." Ginny's face paled as his words sunk in. "It would?" He nodded and Ginny felt a heavy weight settle in her stomach. She knew Quidditch had the potential to be a dangerous sport. But she hadn't connected the dots.

"Why didn't you warn me? On Friday." He shrugged. "I didn't think it would do any good. You had to play. And play as normal. If this all works out, we're still going to need to treat your pregnancy as some huge surprise, some terrible mistake. You can't change how you act as if you expect to be pregnant."

As the week progressed, Ginny tried to keep Draco's words in mind, and continue to act normally. To focus on classes and brush aside thoughts of a baby. Yet every day, she spent at least twenty minutes staring up at the ceiling, unable to think of anything else. It was after all, the reason she was there, her hips tilted, trying to stave off boredom. To at least try and minimize the risk of being caught in a compromising position, Draco left after sex. That way, if Ginny was found, she would only be found lying on conjured pillows in a room alone, practicing charms or something. It would still look bizarre, but Ginny knew that unless it was Snape or one of the Carrows, she could convince them that she just needed time alone. Or possibly, that she was hiding out.

While the Carrows had been terrible the entire year, the persecution of students was even worse now. The Carrows were now actively trying to recruit students into terrorizing others, and unfortunately, a few had taken the bait. It was all the more terrifying, because it was in ways no one could have predicted. She had just heard a story the other day about a fourth year who had accidentally knocked against a classmate and made them trip. In retaliation, her hair had been set on fire, and she had to go to the Hospital Wing for burns to her scalp. Instead of punishing the student, Amycus decided to teach the girl how to make the fire twice as destructive for next time, and praised her for her ingenuity.

It was this implicit approval of using magic against others that was splitting the school in half. You were either the aggressor, or you would be a victim. There were rampant rumours of people being threatened into doing others' homework, being used as practice targets for hexes and jinxes, or being forced into humiliating positions or acts. Like the second year boy who was going around school like a pack mule, carrying the satchels of at least five of his classmates.

Ginny had been trying her best to help. She spent quite a bit of free time watching to see if she could get one of the victims alone. Then, she did her best to pass on her knowledge. She would teach them a charm, or hand them one of Fred and George's products, in hopes that it might let them get back at their attacker or at least protect themselves from a jinx or two.

As for herself, she simply kept her wand in her hand as much as possible. After months of being tormented for sleeping with Draco, being a target for hexes and jinxes was nothing new. She had a keen sense for when to cast a shield charm, and continued to try and give as good as she got.

It helped a lot that nearly none of her tormentors knew more than she did. Being part of Dumbledore's Army had left her with more defense knowledge than a lot of her fellow sixth years. NEWT classes meant that anyone fifth year or below didn't know nearly the amount of charms, transfigurations, or even dark magic spells that she did. If there was any group of students she should be worried about, it would be the seventh years. But the seventh years seemed to be embroiled in their own drama.

While she knew very little of what was happening in Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw, she was very much aware of what was happening in Gryyfindor, and thanks to Draco, in Slytherin. In her own house, Neville and Seamus were both tense and short with each other. There had apparently been bouts of fighting in Gryffindor Tower caused by Seamus refusing to tell Neville where he had been. As for the girls, Pavarti was constantly trying to help Lavender, who had gone more than a bit mental after foreseeing the destruction of the castle in Trawlney's NEWT class. She had fled to the tower after class on Monday, absolutely hysterical, positive Hogwarts was about to be destroyed.

In Slytherin, infighting was rampant. Daphne and Pansy had found themselves unlikely allies as both of them felt the sting of betrayal from their best friends. For the past few weeks Millicent had been allowing Crabbe to try and win her over, properly this time, and Daphne was indescribably angry. Infuriated that after all those weeks of standing up for Millicent against Crabbe, Millicent was willing to forgive him. Daphne couldn't forgive him, and was appalled that Millicent could. In Pansy's case, the betrayal seemed much more mild, but Pansy felt it deeply and personally. As per usual, Pansy had been taunting Seamus about something, and Seamus had taunted back, and soon the two were fighting. The only thing Tracy had done was stay silent and refuse to lift her wand to help Pansy. But to Pansy, this was apparently the same as siding with Seamus and completely unforgivable.

As for the guys, Goyle was bitter over Crabbe abandoning him for Millicent, and had begun hanging out with Nott, who was at a total loss for how to handle this unwanted attention. Desperate to not be in charge of Goyle, Nott had been trying to hang out with Draco and let him take charge, which did nothing but annoy Zabini, Zabini was apparently the one Slytherin who did not admire Draco, and thought all the attention paid to him was idiotic. According to Draco, Zabini was just jealous. But whatever the reason, Zabini had always taken pride in not fawning over Draco, and considered Nott his ally in this. That Nott was now spending time with Draco was in Zabini's mind, a terrible betrayal, although Draco was rather sure Nott was completely oblivious to this. What Nott was not oblivious to, was the sneers and insults Zabini had thrown his way, and Nott now felt betrayed by his best friend. Draco really wasn't sure how it would all end because both Zabini and Nott had a terrible amount of pride, and would never apologize to the other. It was all a complete mess.

In fact, it was such a mess that Ginny felt as if her own life was actually going quite well.

"Arghh!"

"Now Miss. Weasely, if you would be so kind as to describe the feeling to your classmates?"

Alright, so maybe going well was overstating things a bit. "Yes Professor. It felt as if my skin had dried and crackled off. The heat went right into my bones and a blinding agony took over."

"And did your vision go black?"

"Briefly."

Amycus grinned, and used his wand to rap her wrists. Ginny winced. "And yet, we see no damage. No evidence of foul play. In fact, all the pain is completely physiological. For next class, you will all write an essay on the possible applications of these sorts of curses. When and in what circumstances they would be most useful. 14 inches, and at least four applications of the curse. Dismissed."

On the way out, a Hufflepuff classmate walked alongside her, and waited until they were far enough away that Carrow wouldn't see or hear a thing. "Absolute sadist he is. Thanks for stepping up like that. Thought he was going to go for Elise, and you know how she is with pain." Ginny forced a smile and tried to look carefree. "Old hat by now. No worries." She knew she had done this to herself. That she shouldn't resent the people she was trying to protect. Still, it was lonely and difficult. Determinedly, she bottled all her emotions up, and asked about the Gobstones Club. Being president of the organization, the Hufflepuff's face lit up, and Ginny let herself zone in and out of the girl's chatter.

Later that afternoon, hunched over a book in the library, Ginny's body stiffened and her hand wrapped around her wand. A tickling sensation crawled across her neck again, and she looked around trying to find her attacker. The library was generally considered neutral ground as Madame Pince still retained the authority to kick out any disruptive students, and thus bar them from any books that would be needed to complete class assignments. The tickling sensation came for a third time, and Ginny finally locked eyes with Seamus.

Seamus jerked his head to the side, and Ginny nodded, quietly collecting up her things. The two stood and walked out, Ginny following at a distance. She had avoided taking sides in regards to him and Neville. She was pretty sure Seamus was working to make sure she wasn't forced to. From how he was acting, this would be a secret talk, and Neville need never know of it.

Seamus closed the door to the classroom, and Ginny couldn't help but smile. This was the same room she and Draco had been in two nights ago. It had been particularly brilliant sex, Draco having taken her from behind just in case that position would help him get deeper. She had never expected to like her bottom bouncing against him so much. But she had. Much to her embarrassment, she had even liked it when he had smacked her arse during it.

"Well? What's all this about then? Need some pointers on how to catch a girl?" Seamus' face flushed and Ginny grinned. So Draco had been right. Oh well, she was happy for Seamus regardless.

"Actually, need some advice on how to keep the girl. I know she likes me. We've snogged a fair bit. But she says she's too scared to go public. Thing is, I don't fancy keeping secrets. It's the secrecy that's driving Neville up the wall. If I could just come out and say what I've been doin'!" He took a breath and tried to regain some semblance of calm. "So if you could talk to her, tell her it won't be that bad, that'd be great. I'd really appreciate it Gin."

Ginny knew Seamus was a friend. That he didn't mean to be insulting. It didn't stop what she said next though. "Won't be that bad? Are you serious! Do you even know what I have gone through?" Seamus' brow furrowed. "What are you talkin' about?"

Ginny could have punched him. She didn't, but it was a close call. "I've been called every word you can think of. Slag. Trollop. Bint. Tart. Slut. Whore. I've been cursed and hexed. I've been pushed and shoved. My bag's been jinxed open over a dozen times. The other girls spread rumours like you wouldn't believe." She was on the verge of telling him one. Like the one that was spread about her quim having been fucked so many times it was as wide as a cave now. But she couldn't say it. As much as she hated herself for it, she was embarrassed by them. She couldn't make herself repeat them.

As she paused, Seamus jumped in, determined for her to see his point. "But that's it, isn't it? They're not insulting you for being with a Slytherin, they're insulting you for doing…you know. Point is, Tracey doesn't have to worry about that. We're going to be having a proper relationship. Dating like anyone else our age."

Ginny felt the air leave her lungs as she realized something. Something she should have picked up on long ago. Seamus was her friend and he was willing to let her make her own choices, but sexually, he saw her as tainted. He would never date her. While he might disagree with people calling her those terms to her face or actively bullying her for it, a part of him agreed with them. She was a whore. As far as potential wife material, he saw Tracey as better than her. Seamus was sure that Tracey had nothing to fear because he would protect her reputation.

Her determination to be nice vanished, and in its wake was the jagged edge of bitterness. "Tracey has every right to not want to go public with you. It's not because of a stupid house rivalry either. You wouldn't understand, you're not a pureblood. But going out with a halfblood? She'd be spending every waking moment trying to prove to her friends that you are a wizard through and through, and that your mum, a witch, raised you right." She could see the anger rushing to Seamus' face, and felt her own anger drain out of her.

"I know it's hard to hear Seamus, but it's the truth. If you really want to make it work with her, start there. Find some way to show her friends that you choose wizarding ways over muggle ones. I'm not saying that it's fair or it's right, but it is what it is. If she's worth it, do it. If not, let her go." Seamus was quiet for a moment. Then he spoke and his voice nearly made her jump.

"Muggle culture isn't always inferior you know." Ginny just looked at him and hoped her expression gave nothing away. It wasn't a debate she wanted to have right now. "Both societies have their problems. But wizards could still learn things from the muggles. I don't know too many specifics. Most of what I learned in primary about history and science I've forgotten. If you ever see Hermione again though, talk to her. If anyone knows what lessons muggles could teach us, it'd be her."

Ginny didn't cry when he said Hermione's name, but her sadness must have been apparent on her face because Seamus winced. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…when you see her again. Not if. They're okay. They must be. We would have read about it if they had been caught." Ginny sniffed, took a deep breath, and recollected herself. "Yeah." Seamus shifted slightly and then asked if she wanted a hug. He looked so uncomfortable and the request was so strange, that Ginny actually found herself giving a burst of laughter.

"Thanks, but I'll be fine." And she was. Because at the end of the day, she knew that she had Draco.

It was with him that Ginny ranted about how she wanted to hex that girl for thanking her after Dark Arts. For the girl's assumption that of course Ginny Weasely could take the pain that Elise couldn't. After all, what was one more round of torture? And when Draco told her that she shouldn't volunteer herself, that she should look out for her own safety, she beamed. She wouldn't follow his advice of course. But she could easily admit how happy it made her to have him put her safety and feelings ahead of others'.

Eager to give vent to all of her feelings, she then told him about Seamus and how she couldn't believe Seamus would think Tracey Davis a better woman than her. That Tracey had nothing on her in terms of cleverness, wandwork, athleticism, or personality. Draco had smirked and made a few additions of his own to the list that made Ginny blush, but appreciative all the same. His hands squeezed her breasts and he whispered in her ear that any bloke would be lucky to have her. And then he twisted her nipples and added that they were all out of luck, because she was his. She moaned at the possessiveness in his voice, and the rest of the discussion was lost to kissing.

By the end of it, she had managed to release all the stress and frustration of the day, and walked into supper in a bit of a happy haze. Not even the muttered insult of "shameless slut" bothered her when she heard it. They were right in a way. She was shameless. She had encouraged Draco to leave marks, and he had. There was a very visible hickey by her collarbone, and she found herself fiercely proud of it. No one was going to define her, but her. She protected the weak, she was kind to the downtrodden, she was recklessly brave, and she was with Draco Malfoy. All four of those things made her strong. All four of those things worked together to keep her feeling good about herself. And she wasn't planning to give any of them up, no matter what anyone thought.


	14. Run

**Chapter 14: Run**

Ginny glanced into the oven, squinted, and then walked out of the kitchen, throwing open the front door. "Mum! I think the rabbit's done!" Much to her trepidation, Ginny had been put in charge of dinner tonight as her mum went out to plant cabbage and spinach in the garden. With spring well on its way, the amount of garden work needing to be done was sky high. Normally the Easter holidays was a time when her brothers would be around to help, but this year they were all preoccupied. Fred and George were working incredibly late hours, and Bill had his own home with Fleur now.

"I'll be right in!" Breathing a sigh of relief, Ginny walked back into the kitchen and checked to see if the glazed carrots had cooked enough for a fork to go through them smoothly. While she knew her way around the kitchen, she still very much liked her mum double checking everything. Particularly meat. She checked in on the boiling potatoes, and felt her heart beat a little faster as she imagined cooking like this for her and Draco in their own kitchen. Would he like the same food as her? While they had eaten the same foods in the Great Hall for nearly six years, it was possible that what he ate at home was vastly different to the simple fare she had grown up on.

"Ginny dear, take those potatoes off and start draining them. Brought in a little bit of sage with me. Can you pluck the leaves quick?" Ginny nodded and brought out her wand, focusing fiercely. She felt her mum eyeing her as she tried the spell that would cut all the little leaves off, saving herself from tediously hand plucking them. It was a tricky bit of magic and Ginny had sliced a finger clean open last summer when she had tried it. The slice went through, and bits of sage fluttered onto the counter. Upon closer inspection, the slice had cut through the leaves so half of it was still on the stem, but it was an improvement.

"Well done dear. Now put that wand away and try carving up this rabbit." Ginny bit her lip to keep from smiling. She knew that her mum was training her to be a wife and mother in her own home someday. What her mum didn't realize, was just how soon both of those things were going to happen for her. It would have to wait until she was of age of course, but depending on how things went, she might be married as soon as August. Only four months away.

Of course everyone would be shocked. She had tried to imagine her parents' reactions and was rather sure they would be speechless at first. Then worried. Maybe angry. But they would come around. She was nearly positive her family would never blast her off the clock. Percy still had a hand on the clock after all.

To be perfectly honest though, she wasn't nearly as preoccupied with thoughts of her family as she was with thoughts of Draco. She had been in a pleasant mood all day, Draco's owl having come last night. Part of her good mood was due to the reassurance that Luna was still alive and unharmed. Before heading back home for the Easter holidays, they had agreed he would send her a short letter that would give away nothing other than let the potential interceptor know that they were shagging. Not exactly secret information, given that all of Hogwarts knew about it. If the ink was black, Luna was dead. If it was blue, she was alive but hurt. Green ink meant she was alive and well.

It had been emerald green ink, and it was still sitting in Ginny's bedroom where it had been delivered at midnight. She had reread it three times already, smiling idiotically at his words. And it was those words that had kept her in good spirits all day. She didn't know why exactly seeing him put something in writing made her so giddy, but it did. It wasn't long or poetic or even nice. But she loved it. It had simply read;

_Weasley,_

_Been hard for you all night. Want nothing more than to ram my cock right into your tight, little body. Meet at Tapestry of Trolls upon arrival. Don't keep me waiting._

It had sent shivers through her, imagining his voice saying words so crass and demanding. It was written proof that she had entered the secretive, adult world of sex. And though she knew he might have only written it because it was the easiest way to keep an interceptor from thinking he cared about her, she was very pleased with the thought that he had been hard for her. Lying in bed with his hand around his cock, thinking only of her.

The familiar sound of the fire roaring to life heralded the arrival of her father, and the beginning of supper. Halfway through, Fred and George came in unexpectedly early, and everything became a little louder and a little more fun. She had a carrot in her hand ready to fling it at Fred, both of them grinning like idiots at each other, when suddenly she gasped. The carrot dropped to the floor forgotten, and Ginny's right hand clutched her left arm. Everyone looked at her in shock, and Ginny tried to think what to say. What to do. She had gotten so used to having the armband on, she barely gave it a thought anymore. "Gin, are you okay?" "What is it sweetie?"

It was burning. Burning in a way that left her in no doubt to the fact that someone was suddenly very interested in killing her. Felix. She needed her potion. The luck potion would let her know what to do. "Nothing, I just…I just remembered I needed to check something. Be right back!" And with that, she pushed out of her chair, and sprinted up the steps to her bedroom. Pawing through her trunk, she scooped up the small vial and downed it.

A strange sense of calm immediately came over her, and she found herself with the overwhelming desire to get a head start on packing her trunk for school. "What in Merlin's name are you doing?" Ginny looked over and found Fred staring at her as if she had lost her mind. Ginny looked back to her trunk and kept stuffing books into it, vaguely aware that packing "Goblin Tales to Terrorize Tots" wasn't something she would normally do. She had thumbed through it last winter when Bill gave it to her for Christmas, but otherwise, it had been sitting on a shelf collecting dust.

But right now, having reading material that would help whittle away hours of time seemed like a very good idea. Why? She didn't know. NEWT classes had given her enough reading and assignments to put an end to any thought of reading for pleasure. Fred was still looking at her expectantly though, and she had to say something. "I er, I promised a friend I'd bring back some books for her. I'm going to loan them to her until next year. She's a bit of a Hermione she is, planning to read away her summer. I for one, have every intention of practicing flying every day this summer."

It might have worked; Fred might have bought her explanation, but for the wince she couldn't conceal as her armband heated up again. "Like hell! Let me see that!" And before she could stop him, he had her arm in his grip, yanking up her sleeve. She struggled against him, but rather uselessly. His brow furrowed, and Ginny wondered for a moment if he would think it nothing but an odd piece of jewelry. "What the….? Mum! Dad! Get up here!"

Her hopes plummeted and a knot twisted in her stomach. She didn't want to have this conversation. This argument. Not right now. They would demand to know where the armband had come from, who had given it to her. And then she would either be forced into lying, or coming up with some semblance of the truth about why she trusted Draco Malfoy.

She knew she would need to tell them about her relationship at some point. But not right now. Honestly, she had avoided thinking about the particulars of how she would do it. A part of her was hoping they would just end up hearing it from someone else, and all she would have to do was confirm what they had heard, and add in that they were in love. If they were yelling at her, she would have no problem being defensive and yelling right back at them. She didn't mind confrontation in the least. But if she was the one who had to tell them everything? Watch them be concerned, confused, worried? That seemed much more daunting.

"What in Merlin's name is that?" Ginny winced as her mum gripped her arm. She felt her mum about to touch it, and in a panic, Ginny yelled "No!" It was too late though. Her mum had touched it and screamed as the armband burned her hand. Her mum released her grip on her arm, and stepped back, nursing her burned hand while her dad's face reddened in uncontrollable anger. "Take that off right now! That's dark magic young lady! How could you be so irresponsible? Where did you get it from! Who did you buy it from?"

She didn't know what came over her. Her dad was only voicing what she had initially thought about the armband. But some part of her took it as a terrible insult. "It's not dark! It's protective magic! It's warning me that someone is actively trying to kill me at this very moment! So if you don't mind, let's all stay focused on me staying alive and not about where I get my jewelry from!"

At this, George spoke up and Ginny turned to face her brother who had come up with her parents. "Oh don't be thick Gin! The Burrow is coated in protection charms and no one has any reason to target us now all of a sudden. Dad was just at the Ministry an hour ago. Nothing has changed since then." Ginny squinted her eyes and put her hands on her hips. "Well obviously something has, or the armband wouldn't have gotten hot."

He matched her glare and spoke in an insultingly condescending tone. "It's probably just charmed to do that sporadically so you think it's working. It's just a piece of junk. How much did you pay for it? A galleon?" Before she could answer, the door crashed open and all five Weaselys froze in fear.

"Mum! Dad! Everyone! Come quick! We've got to go now!" It was Bill. Bill sounding just short of desperate, fear evident in his tone. Ginny didn't gloat that she was right. In fact, she didn't say a word. None of them did. Picking up her trunk, she went down the stairs as quickly as possible, while everyone else summoned basic necessities and apparated downstairs with them. Bill stared at them all in astonishment. "You knew to pack? How?" And then before anyone could answer, he shook his head. "Right, not important. You all need to get to Aunt Muriel's. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were caught. They escaped, but they know Ron's with Harry now."

Ginny felt faint. They had been caught? When? How? Were they hurt? "Oh Arthur! What.."

"Not now Molly! Accio broomsticks! Everyone on!" And as one frantic, jumbled mess, they all piled onto the three broomsticks that came whipping through the door. With one hand, Ginny clutched tightly to Fred, and with the other, she clutched her trunk to her side. For once, it being small and battered was a blessing instead of a curse. Once everyone was securely on a broomstick, they shot off, her father dousing everyone with disillusionment charms. It was one of the worst flights Ginny had ever had.

It wasn't just that Fred was steering one handed, clutching his own things to his chest with his other hand. It wasn't that her arm was dead with the strain of holding her trunk. It was the stomach churning certainty that someone would spot them and inform the death eaters. Worse, that they would land at Aunt Muriel's to find their aunt bound up, and Ministry officials waiting to take them in on charges of abetting undesirable number one. Even if they weren't caught, they were officially criminals. They would have to live hidden lives. Trapped in whatever safe haven they could find. Ginny could only think of how such an existence had done Sirius in.

All of her plans for her future had been smashed to pieces. She stared down at the passing landscape, unable to get a hold of her emotions. Eventually, they began to descend cautiously into a grove of trees. "We'll need to wait here for Muriel's signal. Bill said he'd contact her through the portrait of my great uncle Gwain." Ginny watched as her father took out the broken off handle of a milk jug, and stared intently at it. It was a pale blue at the moment. Ginny honestly wasn't sure what he was waiting for, but she was for the first time truly appreciative of how thorough her family had been in having emergency plans set in place.

After endless minutes of waiting, the handle flashed dark blue, and her father took a deep breath. "Right. We're going in. Top-most window to the left. If you see anything amiss, fly back to Devon and to cousin Edward. Fred, George, you remember the farm? We used to go there for Easter when you were little." The twins nodded and Ginny felt a little pang at missing out on the family get togethers her brothers got to experience before she was born. "If something doesn't feel right at the farm, fly to the Isle of Wight. Charlie has a friend there that we can stay with. Never seen the place myself to be honest, but we'd be looking for herds of bicorn."

As it turned out, they didn't need to head to Cousin Edward's or to the bicorn man. Miraculously, Aunt Muriel's home stood unmolested, empty save for their aunt.

They had hardly gotten into the room, before Muriel came bursting through the door. "Lucky you, that damn Ministry sent Fick out here to question me. The boy's father used to help me grow mandrakes in the cellar. We'd sell them to Flaghtery for a tidy profit, let me tell you. All I had to do was remind the little bugger that it was our mandrake operation that bought him his toys at Christmas growing up. That got him so flustered he could barely keep from running off. His sort can't stand to be reminded of their family's illegal doings. Speaking of pompous dolts, where's that other son of yours?"

Ginny felt her stomach churn as she realized she had forgotten about Percy. Had he already been arrested? He would never fight Ministry officials. She saw her mum clutch her dad's arm, her eyes clouded with worry and unshed tears. But her dad remained calm and resolved. "He'll be left alone. Everyone working at the Ministry knows he's had nothing to do with us for some time now."

Muriel raised an eyebrow and pursed her lips. "If you say so. Still, I'll keep an ear out for you anyhow. I have tea with Irma Hoppich tomorrow. That woman knows anything and everything about the misfortune of others. Biggest gossip I've ever met. Now you all stay put and I'll send some firewhiskey up. Merlin knows you all need a shot of it. Hell of a day you've had."

As the door slammed shut, the room seemed eerily quiet. The silence was almost smothering. Hell of a day indeed. "Do you think Percy knows? About us being fugitives?"

"I dunno George. Could be. He wouldn't…he wouldn't help them look for us would he?"

"Frederick Alban Weasley! How dare you! Of course not!"

"I was only asking mum! We need to be ready for anything!"

The tension in the room was palpable when glasses of fire whiskey popped into existence. Relieved, her brothers snatched up a glass each and downed it. Her mum gave her a long look, and then sighed. "I wouldn't normally approve of this, but if you want one…" Ginny felt her body stiffen, and then she shook her head. "No, I um, I've tried it before. Too strong for me." It was nearly the truth. She had tried it before at Hogwarts and it was a rather strong drink.

Ginny didn't realize how much her statement had shocked her mum though, until she was being yelled at. "Tried it before! When was this! Who is it going around providing alcohol to underage girls?" Ginny could see George and Fred having gone very still out of the corner of her eye, and made sure not to look in their direction. It had in fact been the twins who had given her a shot of Firewhiskey ages ago. "Oh honestly mum! I had some at Bill's wedding of course. Drinks were floating around the tent all night!" Her mother seemed temporarily speechless at this, but quickly recovered. "Those were for wizards and witches that had come of age! I never would have…someone ought to have stopped you. Arthur! Where were you when all this was going on?" Suddenly the target of her mum's ire, her dad sputtered out a response about chatting with Uncle Bilius and showing off some muggle gadget to a whole gaggle of interested onlookers, and what was the harm anyhow? Ginny was nearly of age now. Just a few months short of it.

Unhappily, her mum was forced to let the issue go, and the rest of the evening was spent unpacking and figuring out sleeping arrangements. Exhausted, Ginny went to sleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. The luck potion had done its job. They were alive and safe and together. Everything else, they'd figure out another day.

"Mmm, is that bacon?" Ginny peeled her eyes open at the sound of her brother's voice and let the memories of last night come back to her. They were at Aunt Muriel's, hiding as fugitives. It was as they were all sitting and eating breakfast on the floor that her dad started to stare at her, brow furrowed. Uh oh. "Gin? We never did finish talking about that armband of yours. Where did you get such a thing? Something that can warn you of danger like that is normally a guarded family heirloom."

She could lie. She knew it would be the easiest way. But maybe this was her chance. Her chance to introduce the idea of Draco as someone who, did in fact, care about her. In a fit of bravery, she decided to take it even a step further. "It was a Valentine's Day gift actually." Without exception, they all looked at her in abject confusion. Finally, her mum spoke. "Was it, was it from Harry? Did he manage to send something?" Ginny's eyes widened in disbelief.

"No, of course not! Why would you say something like that? He broke up with me if you remember." Her mum pursed her lips at that, and her dad looked rather uncomfortable. Fred and George had no reservations though. "Oh come off it! You know-" "he'll run right back to you once this is all over with."

Ginny's mouth thinned. "And what exactly will he have expected me to have done in the meantime?" The truth was, she was rather sure if Harry did win, he would be so scarred by the experience that he would be quite a different person. At the very least, he would have committed murder. She would be a different person as well. She already was.

"Better question sis. What have-" "you done in the meantime?" Well, this was it. A moment of truth. Maybe this was the best scenario for this conversation. Trapped in a room together for an indefinite amount of time. They would be forced to hear her out. To go through whatever emotions they were going to go through, and not be able to act on any of them. "I've been seeing someone."

"Since when?"

"Who?"

"You do move fast, don't you?"

Ginny glared at Fred for that last comment and continued on. "For a number of months now. We don't always see eye to eye on everything, but we care about each other quite a lot. With everything that has been happening, he was worried for me and gave me the armband to try and protect me." Her mum had listened to all this with an expression of much more concern than Ginny could have predicted.

"But Harry…" Harry? Was that what was concerning her mother! Ginny felt a rush of annoyance. "_Harry_ did not share his dreams for the future with me. _Harry_ did not help find a way for me to hone my Quidditch skills so I can have a shot at following my dream. _Harry_ does not even know that I want to be a Quidditch player."

"Well he could know all that. And I'm sure he'd be more than willing to help you with whatever career you want. You two just need more time together. A chance to really chat." Ginny struggled for a response, knowing that her mum wasn't wrong. Really, she was just making excuses. The truth was, she just didn't feel as strongly about Harry anymore. She didn't have good, solid reasons for it. She couldn't explain it with logic. She just felt so good in Draco's arms. Was that a reason? That another man felt like home? That she simply didn't want Harry the way she wanted Draco?

"Alright fine! You're right! On parchment, Harry is a good, solid choice. I have no real reason to not be with him except that I don't want to be. I fell in love this year mum. I can't even describe it. I'd sound like a loon. There's just no place I'd rather be than in his arms. He challenges me. Makes me really think about what I believe, who I want to be. I'm just happy with him. Content and excited and optimistic about the future, or well, I was."

"It sounds like you two are rather close…" Ginny took a breath and nodded. "Yeah." It was silent for a while after that, but Ginny didn't notice. She was daydreaming of Draco, remembering the last time they had been together before the Easter holidays.

"And who is this fellow?" Ginny snapped back to reality, and tensed. "I am just going to remind everyone that this is my life, and it is my decision who I want to be with. But if you must know, since around November, I've been in a relationship with Draco Malfoy." Silence. A whole ten seconds of dead silence, and then the tension broke.

"Absolutely not!"

"Get that armband off right now! You are not wearing anything that belongs to that family!"

"You have gone completely mental!"

"Is this to get back at Harry?"

Ginny chose to focus on her mum's comment and nearly yelled her response. "For the last time I don't care about Harry like that! I've moved on!"

"Well move back! Oh I knew we should have found a way to keep you home this year! What were you thinking?" Ginny glared at her mum, feeling positively indignant.

"I was thinking that I like being happy. He cares about me mum! You should be over the moon really. If anyone is going to use every trick in the book to try and keep their family safe, you know it will be Malfoy. Isn't that what you want for me? To be kept safe?"

"Yes! Kept safe from people like him! I can't believe this! If Ron had been at school this year, none of this would have ever happened. How could you ever-"

"Molly, stop." Ginny was just as surprised as her mum that her dad had interrupted the tirade. His hand was firmly around her mum's arm, and his eyes were staring intently at Ginny. Even Fred and George realized how serious their dad looked and remained silent as they all waited for him to speak. "When you spoke just now, you included yourself as his family. Just how serious have you let this relationship get Ginevra?"

Ginny paled slightly, hearing her full name come out of his mouth. His quiet, calm tone invoked a terror in her that her mum's screaming never did.

A weighty silence filled the room. It was a deep and uncomfortable silence, finally broken by her mum's gasp as she came to her own conclusions. "You're engaged, aren't you? Oh how could you! It's this war, that's what it is. Forcing everyone into rash decisions. Thinking that it has to be now or never. Oh Arthur! We never should have told them we got engaged before graduating school! Now look what's happened!"

Her mum's comments thankfully gave Ginny a distraction. Hopefully, her father's question could remain unanswered. "I'm not engaged! Not yet anyways. We just, we've talked about it is all. Is that so bad? To know that there is someone out there who wants to marry your daughter?"

Both of her parents remained silent, stubborn looks of disapproval on their faces. Ginny gave a very dramatic huff of frustration, and stomped over to her trunk. "Fine. Don't be happy for me. Don't bother giving a chance to the man I love. Be close minded and stubborn and pessimistic. I'm not stupid you know. I wouldn't be with him if I didn't think it would work." And then she sat down with the book she had taken out of her trunk, opened it, and began reading, effectively ignoring the rest of her family.

The next three days seemed to go on forever. With an active search for them still going on, they were forced to stay in the bedroom that had been coated with concealment charms, outfitted with intruder spells, and doused with defense wards. All the while, Muriel worked to maintain an appearance of normalcy to deflect any suspicion. She had guests over for tea, talked with the neighbors, went shopping.

And everyone else began to go stir crazy. George and Fred worked to create games out of the little they had in the room with them. They all spent time reading the books Ginny had packed. Everyone but Ginny got to practice defensive spells and whatever other wandwork they wanted. Her parents would have let her practice too, but it would have activated the trace. And given that Aunt Muriel supposedly lived alone, the trace going off would have been like a flashing sign, declaring that she was hiding an underage witch or wizard. But even with all that to occupy them, it wasn't nearly enough. They all yearned to stretch their legs. Get fresh air. Do something productive.

It was made even worse for Ginny as the rest of her family followed her mum's lead in refusing to acknowledge anything had ever been said about Ginny dating, never mind whom she was dating. It was truly as if her mum had decided the conversation had simply been a bad dream. It left Ginny depressed. What if her mum was right in a way? A future with him really was a dream now. Nothing would ever be able to come of it. Not with her being a fugitive. Her future felt even bleaker than it had back in October.

Not even the cooling of her armband on the fourth day was enough to break her out of her dark mood. She simply looked up from her book and found her father's eyes. He looked back at her with a furrowed brow, and Ginny rolled up her sleeve. "It's cooled. I'm not completely certain, but I imagine it means they've stopped actively searching for us."

Fred and George stopped their dueling at her words, and had one of those silent conversation moments Ginny had always been a bit jealous of. They looked back at her with unnaturally serious expressions and Ginny felt her defensives come up. "What?" Her question had been low and icy in tone, but the twins didn't falter.

"It's just if Malfoy can somehow control that armband-" "how can we trust he's not trying to lure us into a sense of safety?" Ginny's eyes narrowed, but she tried to keep a clear mind. To try and think logically. Was there any circumstance in which Draco would be forced into helping capture them? After Harry, Ron, and Hermione's escape, it was quite possible You Know Who had interrogated his death eaters. She knew He was supposedly a skilled Legilimens. Would You Know Who have found out about the armband? Would He force Draco into helping her be captured to prove his loyalty to the Dark Lord? Was Draco being threatened with death if he didn't comply? Draco could be counting on her and her family being smart enough to evade capture.

Or what if Draco really was mad at her? What if he had decided that she had done this to herself, and she deserved whatever she got? She still remembered those early conversations in November. How he had lost it and destroyed nearly the entire room when she told him she'd do the right thing, no matter the cost. How he had fumed at her for doing things to earn detention. How pissed off he had been in January when she had tried to save that dog. What if he had seen this as the last straw? What if he now saw her as too reckless, too stubborn, too dangerous to care about? She blinked furiously, keeping the tears at bay.

She couldn't know for sure. She couldn't risk it. Even after everything they had been through this year, they could still end up facing each other on opposite sides of battle. Draco could still be the one who would end up killing her. "You could be right. If the search for us has really been regulated to the back burner, we'll wait for the Order to tell us." And then she very slowly slid the armband off of her arm, fighting back tears as she did it. The silver clanged onto the floor and Ginny stared at it, waiting for the ache of pain that had gripped her heart to subside.

If anyone spoke, she didn't hear it. It wasn't until she felt her mum's arm around her that she became aware of her surroundings. Her mum squeezed her shoulder, kissed the top of her head, and sighed. "I'm proud of you Gin. Trust me, this is for the best. People like us have no business with people like them." Ginny only swallowed and continued to stare at the armband. Right. She had no business with him. He was a death eater, and she would be arrested if she did anything but fully commit to fighting against You Know Who and his followers.

The choice had been made for her. It was time to move on.


	15. The Final Battle

**A/N: Parts of this chapter have been taken directly from the book ****_The Deathly Hallows. _****Those sections were written by J.K. Rowling and not me.**

**Chapter 15: The Final Battle**

"Gin? I think your trunk is trying to tell you something." Ginny looked up from her drawing of a dragon, and over to the corner where her trunk was humming. She stared at in confusion, until suddenly she remembered. "Bloody hell! That's the coin! Neville's calling. Harry's back!" Slamming the lid open, Ginny fumbled for the galleon and held it in disbelief. They had come up with this plan back in September. Back when they had all been sure Harry, Ron, and Hermione would come back any day.

"Are you serious Gin?" "Is that really what it means?" Ginny could only wordlessly nod, still trying to grapple with what this meant. Pottermore had been their only source of information for a month. They had all been incredulous when they had heard the reports of the break in to Gringotts. They had very publically flown out of Diagon Alley on a dragon, obviously done with hiding. Was it really time?

Through Luna's communication with Neville, the Weasleys had all heard how Hogwarts had deteriorated in the last month. After Easter, the Carrows had gotten even worse. Ginny felt a large part of this was her fault. No doubt You Know Who had been furious to find out that the Weasleys had been under his nose the whole time, while Ron was secretly off with Harry. It was not hard to imagine the Carrows lashing out at the other students, upset at not having figured out to arrest her while she was their student.

From what Luna said, they had been working overtime to try and control the students since. They had begun allowing promising pupils to be the ones to perform the cruciatius curse for detention, holding relatives hostage for those who misbehaved, and making students walk in quiet lines to and from classes and meals. It sounded suspiciously like a prison in Ginny's view. Neville had stood up against it of course, but instead of detention, the Carrows now took him as a much more serious threat. He had been forced to run and hide in the Room of Requirement, and had been living there for three weeks now.

It was to that room that Ginny was sure she had to go to. But instead, the coin blazed in red letters a different location. Hog's Head. The Hog's Head? That grubby old place? There wasn't much time to think. They might have hesitated more, questioned it more, but a month of waiting had made them all quite anxious. In a matter of minutes, Fred and George managed to contact Lee Jordan and they were all flooing into the Hog's Head.

After a very confused passage through a tunnel that apparently connected the pub to the Room of Requirement now, Ginny found herself climbing out to face a sea of people. What in Merlin's name? She looked around in awe, realizing a good dozen or so people must live here now. Hammocks and house colours crowded the space.

"Aberforth's getting a bit annoyed. He wants a kip, and his bar's turned into a railway station." At Fred's declaration, Ginny focused on who he was talking to, and found her heart beat in exhilaration. They were here. They were really here. Before her was Harry Ron, and Hermione, all looking rather well, everything considered. Other people began talking. They were asking what they needed to do to fight. She watched as Harry got more and more flustered, until suddenly he wasn't talking to them anymore. Instead, he waved Ron and Hermione over, and the three of them began whispering amongst themselves.

She felt the familiar pang of not being included, but it wasn't nearly so sharp as it used to be. If any moment showed just how close the three of them were, this was it. Surrounded by friends that they hadn't seen in months, it was still so easy for them to simply block everyone else out, and focus only on each other. Instead of wasting her time worrying about them, Ginny searched the room for Luna and felt a huge grin stretch across her face. "You're looking even better than you did last week!" Luna smiled back, and the two girls began to chat, when suddenly Harry's voice boomed through the room again.

Ginny sat and watched as Harry explained they were searching for an object, and the Ravenclaws began talking about a diadem. Was this really why Neville had called everyone back? To help Harry find some old crown? She became more nervous as the Ravenclaws made it clear no one had the foggiest as to what happened to it, and found herself growing angry as Luna was cut off and ignored. She was the one who first answered Harry's question, wasn't she? When Cho got up to take Harry to the common room, she couldn't help it. Ginny snipped that Luna should be the one to go, and no one objected. Ginny knew she had overreacted slightly, but she hated seeing Luna get ignored.

The next half hour was as close to madness as she had ever seen. As soon as Harry and Luna left, people began speaking, worrying, and predicting all sorts of scenarios. Finally, she had enough. "Quiet all of you! Standing here isn't going to do anything! As much as we like to think otherwise, most of us are barely of age. What we really need if we're going to be fighting is back up. Start contacting anyone you know who we can trust in a fight. Fred, George, we'll need to contact mum and dad." Their parents had been at an Order meeting when her galleon had gone off. If they could get through to them, they could have the whole Order here soon.

It was a mess of patronuses, using family charms, and activating emergency signals they had been given by family members for these troubled times. After twenty minutes though, a nearly suffocating crowd of people had showed up. Ginny could barely hear as Harry explained about going to the Great Hall and how they would indeed be fighting. As she made to follow everyone else, her mum grabbed onto her arm and dragged her back. "You're underage! I won't permit it! The boys, yes, but you, you've got to go home!"

Ginny felt all of her anger build. All the times she had felt so helpless. She couldn't just sit back! This was her chance. She was willing to fight. She needed to fight. "I won't! I'm in Dumbledore's Army-"

"A teenager's gang!" Fred took the opportunity to stand up for her, shouting about how at least they were willing to take Him on, something no one else dared to do, but then backed down as their mum scolded him for daring to put her in danger. Then to make it all worse, Bill agreed with their mum and told her she would have to leave. She felt desperate hopelessness as she realized her brothers were going to force her out of this battle as well.

"I can't go home! My whole family's here, I can't stand waiting there alone and not knowing and-" it would be just like last summer, waiting and worrying until they showed up dead or injured. As a last resort, she looked to Harry, pleading with him to stand up for her. He didn't. He only shook his head, signifying his agreement with the rest of her family. The tosser! He was only a year older than her! He had agreed to let her go to the Department of Mysteries when she was only fourteen. Now suddenly sixteen was too young to fight? It was absolutely unfair. But what else could she do? "Fine. I'll say good-bye now, then, and-"

She never got to finish, as Percy suddenly came through the tunnel and everyone became extremely distracted. She only half paid attention, her mind more on how this might work to her advantage. As everyone began to move, she tried to as well, hoping everyone was now much too preoccupied to think of her. It didn't work. Her mum snapped her name, and Ginny found herself forced into agreeing to stay in the Room of Requirement while everyone else fought.

As soon as they were all out, she took a deep breath, and began practicing her best jinxes. She was not going to just stay in this room. She was going to fight, whether anyone wanted her to or not. She waited until she began to hear the sounds of battle, and then spent a minute looking at the door, trying to round up all the courage she had. She could do this. She wouldn't just sit to the side. She was just about to open it, when Tonks came stumbling in, and Ginny spun around in shock. "Tonks! What are you doing here?"

Tonks looked as if she had been crying, but her voice didn't give anything away. "I'm here to fight of course. Battle buddies?" Ginny nearly laughed as Tonks stuck her wand out, and she felt the overwhelming panic in her subside slightly. Sticking out her own wand, she crossed it with Tonks' and smiled back. "Battle buddies."

Together, the two witches stepped out into the corridor, blasted apart the nearest windows, and began throwing curses down below wherever they saw a black robe. The rest of the battle was a horrifying mess. Ginny did not remain safely in the corridor. After briefly speaking to Harry, the two witches spotted Greyback and went after him. It launched them into what Ginny could only describe as a nightmare. Blasts, curses, dead bodies. Before long, she found herself in over her head. Petrified with shock and fear, Ginny watched as Tonks was blasted down right in front of her. She was screaming in horror, unable to stop, knowing she was about to meet the same end, when a heavy body slammed into her, sending her crashing to the ground. The spell meant for her went over her head, and all she heard was his urgent plea of "Go!"

She scrambled down the staircase, too terrified to even properly register what had happened. Draco had shoved her to the ground and had managed to save her life. She had already sprinted around the corner and down the corridor when she really realized what he had done. He would be the one on the staircase landing now. He had put himself right in front of that death eater. Would he be killed? Was he already dead? Finding an empty classroom, she threw herself inside and took a minute to breathe, fighting the welling panic. Dead. Tonks was dead. Others would be dead too. Who else? Would she be one of the dead bodies by the end of the night?

She couldn't break down. Not now. If these were her final moments, she wasn't going to end her life hiding in some corner. Gripping her wand, she went back out into the fray, and tried desperately to shoot curses and jinxes from behind walls and statues.

She had no concept of time. No idea of how long the fighting had lasted. But suddenly, a voice, His voice, reverberated through the walls. The battle had been suspended. The death eaters were retreating. He was giving them an hour. An hour to do what? To prepare to die. No way were they going to hand Harry over. Still, she couldn't help but be grateful. At least now she could find her family. Let them know how much she loved them all.

It was a terrible, horrible family reunion. Ginny had only to take one look before she crashed to the ground and sobbed. Sobbed in the Great Hall in a way she had never let herself do in public before. Fred was dead. She was being hugged. By her mum, by her dad, by her brothers. Even Hermione found her way over. But it wasn't enough. How could anything ever be right again? Fred was dead. Deep down, she knew whose arms she wanted right now. Whose chest she wanted to sob into while he kissed her head. Hardly able to speak, she stumbled to her feet and spoke. "I need to…I need to…" Her dad looked up at her and nodded through the tears. No doubt he thought she just needed to get away from the body. To try and calm herself down. She spun around and began pushing through people, looking down in dread for his signature blonde hair. If he was lying there, it would be her fault. He had saved her.

He wasn't there. He was nowhere. She saw some others roaming the halls now, looking for the dead or injured, and began following them without too much thought. Eventually, she found herself outside, and gasped as she spotted him sitting on the grass in an alcove. He was shaking, tears running down his face, completely alone. Ginny walked over slowly, and as she towered over him, he looked up. "I'm dead Gin."

Ginny only stared at him. He was a wreck. He began rambling, his gaze vague and wandering. "When you didn't come back, it was awful. Everything got worse. I can't… the Carrows…you don't want to know what they did. I tried to beg off. Not hurt anyone. I tried to do the right thing…but I just can't. I'm not good! When I saw Potter there in the Great Hall, all I could think about was my father. He almost killed my father last month. Mother and I were forced to watch. I thought if I could get Potter…but it was stupid. And now, now I've decided I can't do it. I can't be one of his followers. I didn't go. Just now, when he called all of his followers back, I don't want to do it. When He wins, he'll kill me." He looked up at her then and Ginny felt her heart thunder. "I'm not the man you deserve. I never was. But I love you, and I wanted to thank you. You've made this the best year of my life."

She plopped to the ground at that, and grabbed his hand. "It's not over yet. There's still a chance." He shook his head and tried to pull his hand away, but she wouldn't let him. Her grip was too tight to not be painful, but he didn't complain. Instead he continued talking. "No, no there isn't. Even if Potter wins, someone will want me dead. If I wasn't such a coward, I'd off myself right now."

Before she could think through her actions, her hand had come up and slapped him hard across the face. He only blinked at her in shock. "Don't you ever say that. Harry can still win, and when he does, we'll figure all this out. This isn't time for self-pity. We've got to keep our heads on straight. Now get up and go look for survivors near the Lake. I'll look over towards the Forbidden Forest. And never mind about deserving me. No one deserves me. My love is a gift, and I gave that to you. So you just better cherish it, yeah?" She didn't give him a chance to answer. Instead, she leaned forward, kissed him hard, and then got up and walked away. She needed to focus, and being around him would do nothing but distract her.

It was heartbreaking work. She managed to get four of the injured back inside, but had no clue what to do when she encountered her first dead body. Sobbing for the woman she never knew, she sent up a spark from her wand, hoping the request for help would somehow get answered. Draco must have seen it. He was there not long after, holding the arms while she carried the feet. It was the only respectful thing to do. Levitating her would have done nothing but turn her into some object. Together, they walked through the rubble of the front entrance, and laid the woman down next to all of the other fallen witches and wizards. There were too many of them. Way too many. Without any communication between them, Ginny found herself leaning into him, and he held her, both of them looking down at the long line of the dead in silence.

She realized then that she didn't care what people thought. What her family thought. Life was too fleeting, too precious to worry about disapproval. This is where she wanted to be. By his side, working with him, encouraging him to follow his better instincts.

At that moment, a voice blasted through the Great Hall. It was recognizable and terrifying to every person there. "Harry Potter is dead. He was killed as he ran away, trying to save himself while you lay down your lives for him. We bring you his body as proof that your hero is gone. The battle is won. You have lost half of your fighters. My Death Eaters outnumber you, and the Boy Who Lived is finished. There must be no more war. Anyone who continues to resist, man, woman, or child, will be slaughtered, as will every member of their family. Come out of the castle now, kneel before me, and you shall be spared. Your parents and children, your brothers and sisters will live and be forgiven, and you will join me in the new world we shall build together."

Draco and Ginny looked at each other, a silent conversation happening. Mutual understanding flashed between them. She felt her heart bursting with joy, and she smiled. He sighed, pulled her into him with both arms, and kissed her forehead. "We're not going to run, are we?" He said it in such a defeated tone, that Ginny found a hysterical giggle come out of her. "No. We're not going to run."

He sighed. "I figured. Well, I suppose this is it then." At his words, she found the knot of dread in her stomach grow large and encompassing. People were moving now though, everyone heading out of the castle, and they couldn't stay here any longer. "He should stay."

Startled, both Draco and Ginny spun to find her father staring at them with an unreadable expression. "Mr. Weasley, I…"

Her dad cut him off with a wave. "Don't. We can have this chat if any of us come out of this alive. You should stay. Your parents will be out there, and unless I miss my guess, they'll either beg you to come to them or run to you, killing themselves for it. No one should have to die for loving their child. Stay towards the back out of sight, for their sake at least. I promise I won't let Ginny out of my sight."

Ginny felt Draco slowly, reluctantly, release his grip on her and take a step back. She saw her dad give him a nod of approval, before her dad was taking her hand and dragging her out of the castle to face whatever was before them.

The rest of the battle would be retold many times over. Books would be written, myths would be created, but in the end Ginny found herself only full of relief. Leaving the Great Hall, it was obvious they were going to still fight. The Giants had come, the house elves had come, and it had seemed like there was going to be just as bloody of a battle as they had just finished. And then Harry had appeared, back from the dead, finally destroying Voldermort once and for all. Voldermort. It felt good to finally be able to say his name without fear of the repercussions.

She had lost herself that night to celebrations. Utterly sleep deprived, she had stayed up eating and laughing, only broken up by bouts of crying, when she was reminded of all of those who had never lived to see their victory. News reports came in sporadically, each update an even greater source for celebration. The imperiused were waking up. The muggleborns were being let out of Azkaban. Shacklebolt was Minister. The Death Eaters were on the run. At that last one, she had looked over to see Draco with his parents, none of them showing any intentions of moving.

And it was then that she really realized what this meant. They were free. Free to make whatever choices about life that they wanted. She had no obligations to anyone. She didn't have to go into battle ever again. She didn't have to be a leader and role model for students who were trying to endure a school run by death eaters. She wouldn't have to live her life on the run. So now the question was, what did she want?

After a while, exhausted and drained, Harry found himself sitting on a bench beside Luna. "I'd want some peace and quiet, if it were me." Harry smiled tiredly at her. "I'd love some."

"I'll distract them all," she said. "Use your Cloak." And before he could say a word she had cried, "Oooh, look, a Blibbering Humdinger!" and pointed out of the window. Everyone who had heard looked around, and Harry slid the Cloak up over himself, and got to his feet.

Now he could move through the Hall without interference. He spotted Ginny over in the corner, and froze. What was she doing? She had walked over to the Malfoys, and Harry found himself wondering what he was supposed to do. They wouldn't hurt her. Not now. Curious, he made his way through the tables until he was close enough to hear.

"I thought I ought to return this now." Harry stared in confusion as Narcissia and Lucius' eyes both rounded as Ginny held out some sort of silver circle. "Where did you get this?"

He saw Ginny look at Draco, who looked back at Ginny pale and determined. "I gave it to her." Both of the elder Malfoys looked alarmed and confused, but Draco kept speaking with a steady voice, his eyes trained on Ginny. "I wanted her to at least have fair warning if anyone was about to come after her. It's probably better for you to hear it from us, but um, we've been-"

"Seeing each other." Ginny finished, giving him a small smile. Harry felt as if he might faint. Seeing each other? "Since when?" Good question! Harry could hardly believe it, but for once he was on the same page as Lucius Malfoy. Confused, upset, and more than a bit angry.

Before he could hear the answer, he stumbled forward as someone bumped into him. Looking over his shoulder, he saw it was Neville who was now cautiously splaying his hands against Harry's back. "Harry? Is that you?" Annoyed at the interruption, Harry hissed out a yes of course it was him, and tried to refocus on the conversation in the corner. He couldn't hear though as Neville was whispering in his ear. "What are you trying to do? Sneak out? Here, follow me. I'll get you out."

Harry had to yank his arm back as Neville tried to take hold of his wrist. And then it came to him. Neville had been here all year. If something had happened, surely he would know. "No, Neville, stop. I'm trying to figure something out. What is Ginny doing with Malfoy?" Harry had half expected Neville to shrug, having no idea about it, so it was with great alarm that he saw Neville go stock still and beet red.

"Er…" "Neville! What is going on?" Neville suddenly looked like he wanted to be anywhere else, feeding into the growing panic that was forming in Harry's chest. "Tell me everything right now."

There was very little left of the Neville from the battle. He no longer looked like the confident man who had gone up against Voldermort, pulled out Godric Gryffindor's sword, and killed Nagini. Instead, he looked very young and very nervous. "Right, so…um. I don't know why she's talking to his parents exactly, but Ginny's been…um, well, there's just no other way to put this I guess. Ginny's been shagging Malfoy since November." There was a beat of silence where Harry stood there, stunned, and then Neville began speaking very quickly. "They weren't really secretive about it. Whole school knew. She wouldn't listen to us when we tried to give her advice. We really didn't know what to do about it. I mean, you know how she is. Stubborn and hot headed and all. She'd have jinxed us if we didn't let it be."

Last year, it felt there was monster in his chest when he saw Ginny dating Dean. Just the thought of her snogging someone else had been bad enough. But to hear this? No. It couldn't be. Neville must have been mistaken. Or misled. He saw Ginny turn around and begin walking away. Without another thought, he threw off his cloak, needing to hear her confirm it wasn't true.

Ginny went to walk back over to her family after having been asked by Narcissa for a few minutes alone with their son, thinking that it had gone better than she had hoped. Of course, the circumstances had probably forced them to be much more polite than they would have been otherwise. Still, she would take what she could get. The hardest part was over now, both of their parents having been told.

She saw Harry heading towards her, but her grin soon turned into a worried frown. He looked extremely out of sorts. "Harry?" He had now grabbed her hand, and pulled her over to an empty section of the nearest table.

"This might sound crazy, but I just need to hear you deny this." Ginny sat very still as she wondered how he possibly could have heard. True, they were surrounded by classmates, but surely they had more important things to talk about than her love life. "Did you, have you, I mean, while I was gone, did you and Malfoy…" Ginny gulped and finished the sentence for him. It was too painful to watch. It was obvious Harry was horribly uncomfortable. "Have we been sleeping together?" Harry's head jerked in a nod, and Ginny decided she owed him the truth.

While they had broken up, Ginny knew that at least a small part of Harry had probably expected her to be waiting for him. None of this had really been his fault. "I didn't think this day would ever come Harry. I never expected for Voldermort to be defeated and for us to still be alive. I was expecting death soon, and…and the answer is yes. It was my idea actually."

Harry didn't seem to know how to take the news. He sat there sort of stunned as Ron and Hermione walked up to them smiling. "There you are Harry. Alright, then?" Harry could only shake his head. Ginny hoped desperately that Harry had enough tact to not mention any of this to her brother. "I just, can we get out of here? I sort of have somewhere I need to go." Ginny watched as Harry, Hermione, and Ron all left the Hall, and couldn't help but wonder at it. Whatever those three had gone through, it had certainly left its mark.

Left to her own devices, she was scanning the room to figure out who to speak to next, when she felt the hand on her shoulder. Looking up, she saw it was Draco and smiled. "All good?" He shrugged and only said "they'll need some time I expect. Can we walk?" Getting up, Ginny slid her hand into his, and they quietly made their way out.

Leaving everyone else behind them, Draco led them to the blasted apart staircase and sat on a step not stained with any blood. "I know things are a lot different now. I don't have a clue what the future will look like." Ginny shut him up with a kiss. He returned it, tangling his hand in her hair and holding her tight against him. She drew back and looked in his eyes. "No one knows Draco. And we aren't going to figure it out tonight. This morning. Whatever time it is. I just want to sleep."

He looked at her, and then nodded. "My room should be empty." They each took a moment to go back in and tell their parents they were going to go to bed. Neither of her parents thought to question which bed she was headed to. She hoped they wouldn't be too worried when they realized she wasn't in Gryffindor tower. She was sure they could figure it out when the time came.

For now, she had what she needed. She should have been terrified of sleep. She had seen more death this day than she could have ever imagined. She had experienced the deepest grief. And yet, curled into Draco, she found herself falling into a deep, peaceful sleep, burrowed beneath his body and his blankets. There would be things to figure out eventually. They were far from a happy ending. But that was alright. They had their whole lives to figure out all the rest.

THE END OF BOOK 1


	16. The Morning After

**BOOK 2**

Author's Note: I initially wrote "Saving Grace" as a complete story, knowing that I wanted the story to end with the last battle. I thought it would only be 15 chapters and follow the events of the Deathly Hallows, with a G/D twist obviously. I kept having more ideas for what would happen next though, and couldn't leave it alone. So I began to write a sequel, and thus, the story continues.

**Chapter 1: The Morning After**

"What do you mean she's not there?" Hermione shrugged her shoulders helplessly at the Weasleys as she descended the stairs to the girl's dormitories. She felt awful. The last thing she wanted to do was make them worried. They were all still so grief stricken after Fred. For a moment, all her focus was on the Weasleys speaking to each other, and then she spotted Harry. She squinted her eyes suspiciously as she realized Harry was staring at the Weasleys guiltily.

Going over to him, she stood right next to him and whispered harshly. "Harry, if she's in your room, go get her." Harry's body jerked, and then his face flushed. Hermione glanced over at him, and sighed. "Harry, we just won a war. I'm sure they'll forgive you for having their daughter in your bed."

It was nearly noon now, and families had been quietly departing all morning. Neville had left with his gran an hour ago. She had met Seamus' mum as well, when she showed up at five in the morning to rush him home. Even the families of those who had fallen had been coming and going for hours now. And now the Weasleys were going. Mrs. Weasley had immediately offered for her and Harry to come with them, and Hermione really didn't have it in her to say no. She missed her own parents desperately, but she knew tracking them down in Australia would take planning and research that she just couldn't manage right then.

But now Ginny was missing. "I'm not the one they need to worry about 'Mione. If she's not here, she's probably with _him_." Him? Harry had all but spit the pronoun out, leaving no doubt as to the animosity and resentment he had for this mystery figure. What in the world was Harry talking about? Harry had been Ginny's world for years.

"What? Who are you talking about?" Harry's eyes narrowed and his mouth remained firmly shut, completely ignoring her question. Frustrated, Hermione tried to keep her voice from rising. "Harry, if you know something you have to tell them. They are worried sick." Harry stayed silent for a minute, but then spoke in a loud voice, directing his speech to the Weasleys instead of her.

"Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Did Ginny by chance have a boyfriend this year?" Hermione fully expected an immediate denial from the family, wondering what could have possibly come over Harry. Instead, she watched Mr. Weasley frown and Mrs. Weasley sputter. "Oh Harry! No, I mean nothing serious. Nothing for you to worry over dear!"

And yet in the same moment, Mr. Weasley was already heading out the door, looking very much like he knew exactly where to go. Ginny did have a boyfriend? Shocked herself, she looked over to see that Ron looked pole axed, and rushed to his side. "Boyfriend? But…but we were in the middle of a war! Who the hell did she start dating now!"

George, still looking rather lifeless, looked over with a scowl. "Oh sod off! Who cares anymore? If she wants to snog a sack of shite, then let her. Let's just go home. She can find her own way back." Hermione was sure everyone felt the same as her in that moment; utterly helpless and so very sad. George had never been mean or biting. It was as if everything that had made him; his humor, his wit, his carefree attitude, had drained out of him, leaving only a bitter husk.

"Percy, take your brother home. Ron, Harry, Hermione, feel free to go as well. I need to find your father." And then she was gone as well, apparently knowing exactly where she would find her husband. Hermione's mind raced. Obviously whoever Ginny was dating was not a Gryffindor, and their relationship had been serious enough for both of Ginny's parents to know about it. Poor Harry. Feeling uncomfortable and uneasy, Hermione was about to do just as Mrs. Weasley had suggested, when Ron yanked on her wrist and Harry's. "No, wait. Let's go see who he is." Harry ripped his wrist out of Ron's grip and glared. "No. If I see that wanker right now I'm not going to be able to keep from cursing him. Let's just go."

Ron looked at her with his mouth open, but Hermione could only shrug. She didn't know either. So with Harry's decision made, the three of them began heading out of the castle, towards the bridge, eventually apparating home to the Burrow.

Ginny woke up still rather tired, and then snuggled more tightly into Draco's chest, fully intending to go back to sleep. But his body was unnaturally stiff, and glancing up, she saw he was looking over her head, somewhat terrified. Frowning, she went to move to see what he was looking at, when a voice made her freeze.

"Please Miss. Weasley, don't let me interrupt your sleep. You are so obviously comfortable, right at home some would say, in bed with my son." Ginny felt her face flush, and the only thing she could think of was how glad she was that they had been too tired to do anything but sleep. Mercifully, they were still fully clothed.

"Ginevra Molly Weasley, you have ten seconds to get out of that bed and explain yourself." If she had been mortified to hear Lucius Malfoy's voice, it was nothing compared to the panic that overtook her hearing her father's voice. She spun so quickly, scrambling to get out of the bed, that the blankets came with her and she ended up in a tangle on the floor. "Dad? What are you doing here?"

It did nothing to lessen her panic when she realized that between the two men, her dad was the one more obviously angry. His face was red and was obviously embarrassed. Lucius Malfoy on the other hand, looked almost amused. "Looking for you, Miss. Weasley. Imagine our surprise when our interview with a half dozen aurors was interrupted by your frantic parents, informing us that they needed to get into the Slytherin common room to retrieve their daughter."

The knot in Ginny's stomach tightened. "Mum's here too?" Her dad nodded and looked towards the door. "Downstairs. But you will be answering to us first. Truthfully, young lady. Is this the first time you two have shared a bed?" Ginny thought she might be sick.

"No sir." Ginny's head whipped around as she stared incredulously at Draco, but he was avoiding her gaze, focused instead on her dad. Was he really going to tell their parents the truth?

Draco's heart was racing as he realized what to do. The war was over. Ginny was going to be at Hogwarts all of next year while he wasn't. If everything went wrong, he might even be in Azkaban. He didn't know how they would ever be able to be together. But he didn't want to lose her. He didn't want Potter to come running in and sweep her off her feet while he was locked up. He didn't want some snot nosed Hogwarts kid to catch her eye while he wasn't there. And if they told the truth, the whole truth, there was a chance he could keep her. He knew his parents, and he was beginning to realize hers might be the same. If they knew everything, their parents would be upset and angry, but they would also be insistent that he make an honest woman out of her. She would be his, for better or for worse.

"To be perfectly honest sir, your daughter and I have done much more than just share a bed." Ginny shot to her feet at that, and interrupted him before he said something even worse. "Isn't it time we head home? I'm sure mum's quite worried, waiting so long down there."

What happened next was so completely unexpected that Ginny was half convinced she must be dreaming. Lucius gave a snort of laughter and then nodded at her. "You do lack subtlety, don't you? Well, I suppose it might be nice to have a daughter-in-law that's so readily transparent." Daughter-in-law! Ginny's eyes desperately sought out her father's, but his expression mirrored her own, full of silent panic.

He got his voice back relatively quickly, although his face was now more pale than red. "Now Lucius I'm sure your son didn't mean…" Lucius only smirked. "Well then feel free to confirm it. I for one, think that is exactly what Draco meant."

More than anything, Ginny hoped the ground would swallow her up. She knew now that Draco was going to tell the truth. That if she remained silent, he would fill in the answer. But she also knew her father wanted to hear it from her, and that Draco knew it too. "Gin?" Ginny took a deep breath and nodded weakly at her dad. "Um, yeah…I mean…that is what Draco meant."

She watched her father's face go nearly purple, and then he shouted. "Molly! Get up here right now and deal with your daughter!" Ginny wanted to shrivel under his look. "I have never been so disappointed in you. This is not how we raised you to act. You are grounded. You will be doing chores from sun up to sun down and if you so much as raise one complaint you can expect a lash. Do I make myself clear?" Ginny just stared at her father in fright, relieved to hear the door open and see her mum come in.

Her mum only had to look at her to know something terrible had happened. In an instant, her mum was at her side, patting her hair, and asking what the matter was. It was her dad that answered in a cold, angry voice. "Tell her Ginevra."

Ginny sniffed and looked up into her mother's worried eyes, realizing that much to her surprise, she was actually more comfortable telling her mum than she had been when telling her dad. "I've been sleeping with Draco." Her mum looked at her confusedly, and Ginny forced herself to repeat it. "Sleeping mum, you know, shagging." The last word was said very quietly, but her mum had no problem hearing it. Instead of yelling though, her mum had tensed, and was now looking up past Ginny's shoulder. Ginny turned her head and saw that Draco was still sitting on the bed, his shoulders hunched and his head lowered as his mother seemed to be lecturing him.

And then her mum was talking to her hurriedly. "Don't panic. We'll sort this out. We won't tell your brothers. We'll come up with some other excuse for your punishment. No one ever needs to know." Ginny could only stay there stunned. This was not at all what she had expected. Did she even know her parents?

"Well, now that we are all caught up with events, I suppose we ought to schedule a meeting to discuss the nuptials?" Ginny watched as her mum drew herself up, and looked Lucius right in the face. "There is no need to discuss anything. Our children made a grave mistake, and while I do not support what they did, we all know that war time can encourage brash and hasty decisions. I already lost a child last night, and I have no intention of losing my daughter to your son. We will all forget any of this happened, and no one need ever know."

Ginny saw Draco's mother grip his shoulder tightly, speaking next. "I agree. We just got our son back safe and sound. He hasn't had a chance to be carefree for two years and-"

"Narcissia." Lucius' voice cut her off, and the room was thrown into an awkward silence. "Like I said, we will schedule a meeting. There are funeral arrangements that need to come first of course, so how would you feel about five days from now? Three o'clock at the Manor? I fear we may be constrained by house arrest by then."

Everything was moving so fast. It was not lost on Ginny that a month ago she was daydreaming about marrying Draco. Now though, it seemed crazy. They didn't have to retreat to the countryside anymore. She could attend Hogwarts next year with no fear of death eaters. She would never have to face Draco on a battlefield. He wouldn't have to fight for the Dark Lord. They no longer needed to save each other. She could be a normal teenager. They could have a normal relationship.

Her mum was talking again. "No, we will not be meeting. Your son will keep his mouth closed and if there is ever so much as a rumour that our daughter's virtue has been compromised, you will see just who has the power under the new Ministry." As much as Ginny wanted to stand back and admire her mum, she knew this wasn't fair. Especially to Draco. But she didn't know what to say until she heard what her mum said next. "He will stay far away from our daughter and both of them will-" Ginny felt a shot of panic shoot through her, and abruptly cut her off. "You can't just expect this to disappear mum!" Her mum stopped mid-rant and stared at her.

"What do you mean?" Ginny looked at Draco and realized how wrong this felt. Their parents had somehow managed to separate them and take over the entire situation. Her mum was orchestrating their break up for Merlin's sake! Shouldn't she and Draco be the ones doing the talking? It was their relationship after all. Understanding the pleading look she was giving him, Draco got up off the bed and walked over to hold her hand. Instantly, Ginny felt stronger and more sure of herself as they faced their parents together.

"What Draco and I have been doing isn't just some secret that you can bury." He squeezed her hand, and then picked up where she left off. "We've been together for months Mrs. Weasley. The whole school knows."

Her mum pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes. "Yes. However knowing that you decided to date, is much different than everyone knowing how far you've gone. This is still perfectly salvageable."

Ginny felt anger whip through her. She spoke without thinking, and felt Draco tense next to her. "Actually, it isn't. When we said we weren't keeping it a secret, we meant the sex! People already know mum!" She could see the shock overcome her mum. It was Draco's mum who spoke though. "And exactly how many people know this?"

"The whole school." All four of their parents looked flabbergasted at this bit of news, and Ginny decided she might as well keep going. Make it perfectly clear that their relationship wasn't something that could be neatly tucked away and hidden. She didn't want to have to forget and move on, which is exactly what her mum obviously wanted for her. No doubt her mum was already trying to figure out how she could still end up with Harry. The thought was infuriating enough to keep Ginny talking. "Even the Professors knew. Once Professor Sprout heard, she gave me a birth control potion which was rather nice, wouldn't you say?" And it had been, now that she could think back on it. Her dad began coughing on air, and her mum looked as if she might tip over. Ginny grinned. There, ignore that piece of news.

Draco yanked her hand hard, and Ginny looked over in shock. He was glaring at her. What in Merlin's name? Why the hell was he mad at her? "We'll be right back." And then before she realized what was happening, Draco had dragged her onto the landing, shut the bedroom door behind them, and was hissing at her. His face was a centimeter from hers, his hand gripping her wrist tightly, making sure she couldn't recoil from him. "You are going back in there and apologizing to your mother immediately."

Ginny could only stare. What? "Are you insane? Did you not hear what she was saying? She was trying to control our lives."

Draco's expression didn't falter. "She is your mother and that demands respect. If a child of ours ever spoke to us in the tone you've been using, I would blister their backside."

Ginny frowned and tried to yank her wrist away to no avail. And then she pouted. Even as she did it, she knew it was immature. But she couldn't help it. "You don't get it! You don't have a sister. If you did, you'd know that all daughters and mothers fight."

He was completely unmoved, and Ginny felt her cheeks begin to redden. Maybe she had been a bit rude. A bit difficult. Maybe it hadn't been completely necessary to gleefully throw it in her mother's face that she had completely destroyed her reputation and there was nothing her mother could do about it. "Fine! You win. I'll apologize." She had said it mulishly, completely unenthused about the prospect. But then she saw Draco smile slightly, and her heart melted a little.

Her lips quirked up, and she leaned in for a quick kiss. "No matter what my mother says though, know that if you agree to leave me alone, I will hunt you down and hex you within an inch of your life. I just got you back you bloody arse."

He smirked and snaked his arms around her waist. "Just listen to that disrespect. I have half a mind to flip you over my lap right now and teach you some manners." She knew he was teasing. That it was just a joke. But at his words, a surge had gone through her that left her feeling flushed and wishing they could have some time alone. Ridiculous. Was she really so needy? That after a month of no sex, one comment had been enough to ignite her lust? Ginny gave him a weak smile, and then went to open the door. An apology to her mum was suddenly much more tempting than standing there, trying to keep Draco from realizing how much power he had over her.

As soon as the door opened, conversation between her dad and Lucius stopped, and all four parents stared at them. Ginny gulped. She felt Draco's hand on the small of her back, and braced herself. "Er, so I was perhaps a bit rude earlier. Sorry mum. I guess I didn't need to say it quite like that." Both of her mum and dad looked as if a feather could knock them down. And then her mum blinked.

"Well yes, thank you. I, well I might have been a bit overbearing as well. It's been a very long day." Out of the corner of her eye, Ginny saw her dad smile slightly, and couldn't help but wonder if her mum had just been talked to as well. It was a strange feeling.

Her father spoke next. "We can talk more about this at home. The Malfoys need to return to the Aurors for now, and they'll send us an owl when they know more about their schedule. We…we'll head downstairs and let you two say goodbye. Quickly, mind you."

As their parents shuffled off, Draco got no more than a smirk from his father, and a worried glance from his mother. It hardly seemed fair. Why, out of all of their parents, did it have to be Lucius who seemed happiest about their relationship? He was a detestable human being. She didn't want him as an ally in anything.

Left alone, neither of them said anything for a second. And then they were hugging tightly, Ginny's head pressed into his shoulder. Reality seemed to crash over them, leaving both feeling scared and weak. "You'll come to Fred's funeral?" He buried his face in her hair and sighed. "If I can. If you don't…if you don't hear from me, remember to check the paper."

Ginny looked up at him in alarm. "They can't arrest you! You were underage. You haven't done anything this year." He didn't say anything, and Ginny felt a weight settle into her stomach. Would he be arrested? The thought made her ill. "Why don't you run then? Leave now, and go to Russia or Paraguay or something?"

His brow furrowed. "And leave everything behind? Our lands are here, our history is here. We'll endure. They won't put me away for life." Ginny could only look at him with wide eyes. She didn't know what to think, much less say. He sighed, and then kissed her. "Stop. Whatever happens, will happen. We can't hide out here forever. Ready?"

She nodded dispassionately, and let him lead her by the hand, out the room, down the stairs, and to their parents.

The long walk with her parents from the Slytherin common room to the bridge outside the castle was silent. Her dad wrapped her into a hug in order to side apparate her home, and they all stared for a moment. The Burrow. Half of her hadn't really believed it would still look the same. Not after the death eaters had searched it from top to bottom to try and find clues for their whereabouts.

The yard had gone a bit wild. She could already see three gnomes racing across the yard, chasing chickens that had been freed from their coops. Garden beds were clogged with weeds and her dad's shed looked like it had spewed all of its contents out into the yard, but overall, it looked lovely.

Going into the house was a whole other story. Anything that had been in a cabinet, drawer, or trunk had been taken out and left as heaps on the floor. Furniture had been blasted apart, wall décor had been torn down; there was even a hole blown into the staircase. "Hello?" Noise suddenly came from upstairs, and Ron clattered down in a panic.

"Mum! The ghoul completely destroyed my room! It stinks in there! Hermione's tried everything!" And with that, they all launched into operation clean the house.

As it turned out, the house having been ravaged was a blessing in disguise. Whenever there was a spare moment, the Weasleys were to be found cleaning, repairing, gardening, or sorting through belongings. No one touched George's room, the loss of Fred far too raw. But every other inch of the house and yard became an ongoing project.

Harry and Hermione stayed on to help, as did Charlie who showed up hours after Ginny and her parents, and Bill and Fleur who were spending every afternoon helping before flooing back to Shell Cottage. Any one of them was prone to start sobbing whilst working, and there was an oppressive atmosphere hanging over everyone. Yet the work at least gave them something to focus on other than the long list of funerals that were looming ahead.


	17. The Aftermath

**Chapter 2: The Aftermath**

"I never really knew Lavender that well." Ginny looked over to the side of the room she knew Hermione was on. The only light coming into the room was moonlight from a thin line where the curtains didn't quite close all the way. It had been three days now. Three days of working quietly, and trying not to think too much about anything that would cause an emotional breakdown.

"She was a lot more serious this past year. Determined to be ready to fight." Ginny had to pause as a sob broke through, her voice trembling with emotion. "I think she knew about the battle ahead of time. In March she had a breakdown after a Divination class. We all thought she had just seen the castle being destroyed, but what if, what if she had seen her own death?" Her chest ached as she realized how silly she had thought Lavender was being at the time. How dismissive she had been. Why hadn't they taken her seriously? Why hadn't they realized that Divination wasn't just all codswallop?

Hermione spoke slowly. "If so, then she was certainly one of the bravest Gryffindors in the history of the house." Ginny nodded, and clutched her pillow. All of them had been so brave. So much more deserving of life than her. Why hadn't that spell hit her instead of Tonks? Didn't the universe know that Teddy needed his mum more than her family needed her?

She didn't know what to expect tomorrow. Every witch or wizard who had died fighting Voldermort was to be honored in a massive ceremony. The Daily Prophet had explained how after the official event, families and friends would take the bodies for more personal burial ceremonies. The official count was fifty-six dead. Four bodies had never been recovered, but after three days of searching, they were presumed deceased.

As sad as it all was though, none of that is what worried Ginny the most. What everyone was most tense about, was if there would be protests or riots. As soon as the official count of fifty-six came out, there was an outcry from friends and family that had lost someone not on the list to be honored. Her dad had gone into work yesterday, only to floo back home to report the Ministry was being flooded with complaints. Owls were bombarding Kingsley, arguing their loved one had been imperiused, had only been following orders from the Ministry, had switched sides last minute, or even been innocent bystanders.

"Hermione?"

"Yeah?"

"You're going soon aren't you?" There was a stretch of silence. Honestly, Ginny didn't want her to leave. The more people she was surrounded by, the more manageable things seemed. Not having to sleep in her room alone was a major help. But she wasn't blind either. She had seen the signs of Hermione, Harry, and Ron itching to leave again.

"Not until after Fred's funeral. Don't tell your mum yet." Of course not. Her mum would have an absolute breakdown, hearing that the three of them were leaving again. Yet a small part of Ginny was jealous. Jealous that she wasn't fleeing as well, striking out on an adventure independent of her family. How freeing it would be to leave behind all the grief. Leave behind all of her responsibilities.

"Kingsley isn't going to like it. I'm pretty sure he wants your support to get the new Ministry up and running." She could imagine Hermione's wince, even if she couldn't see it. None of them wanted to be used for political purposes, particularly Harry. Ginny wouldn't be surprised if avoiding the Ministry wasn't one of the main reasons they wanted to go so quickly.

"Actually, the Ministry is sort of where we're headed. At least at first. We're planning to ask Kingsley for unlimited access to St. Mungo's research about Obliviation. We don't know what we'll find. It might take days or weeks to figure out before we're ready to head to Australia."

Ginny's brow furrowed in confusion. "But if you're just researching…why not stay here?"

The silence this time was quite long. So long that Ginny thought the other girl might have drifted off. "Hermione?"

"It's not that the Burrow isn't lovely. But after being on our own for so long…"

Ginny finished the sentence for her. "You're staying at Grimmuld Place instead." Of course they were. They wanted their own place where they didn't have to answer to anyone but themselves.

Ginny heard Hermione shifting in her bed, an uncomfortable tension hanging in the air. "So, who's the new beau?" Ginny's body stiffened. Given the lack of loud shouting from Ron about it, she knew Harry hadn't told his friends yet. Ginny hadn't said a word about it either. She knew Hermione was trying to turn the conversation to something light. Something they could giggle and bond over.

"Oh no, you're not putting the focus on me. Not when you and Ron are running circles around each other still. Wasn't the kiss supposed to have fixed that?" Alright, so maybe she was being a little bit of a coward. She would tell Hermione eventually, of course she would. After all, she had every intention of remaining with Draco.

"We are not! I mean, we just don't want to make things uncomfortable. Besides, it's good to take things slow."

"Slow or glacial?" Ginny relaxed as Hermione took the bait, and went into a defense of the importance of not jumping into anything too fast. Good naturedly, Ginny conceded that Hermione was likely right, and the night ended with her having avoided the inevitable confrontation that would happen when she confessed to being in love with Draco.

The next day was full of repressed emotion. She spent nearly an hour in her bedroom getting ready. Putting on the black dress robes took very little time. She wasted most of the time putting her hair into one style, only to comb it all out and start over again. Really, she was just avoiding everyone else. They were all wandering the house, too agitated to do anything other than wait for the clock to say quarter past ten.

When it was finally time, she went downstairs to see her mum's eyes were already red and her cheeks were already wet. She caught Ron and Hermione holding hands, and felt a thrill. The entire wizarding world of Britain was going to be there. This might be her chance to see Draco. To have him hold her hand. Even just the chance to talk to him sent anticipation swirling through her.

Arriving, Ginny and her dad were almost knocked over by a group of middle aged wizards who had apparated right behind them. One with a muggle top hat on and silver robes gave a deep bow, his elbow nearly smacking his companion in the face. "Apologies! Apologies! Here! Allow me to offer you some liquid compensation!" Ginny stared wide-eyed at the bottle of bubbling, golden liquid. Her father was quick to yank her away though, frowning as he led them to where the rest of their family could be seen in the crowd.

"Honestly! Drunk at ten in the morning! Gin, make sure to stay close, do you hear me?" Ginny nodded distractedly as she looked around in shock. The crowd was incredible. Never had she seen so many people all in one place. For every witch that was wailing in grief, there was one chatting excitedly to their nearest neighbor. For every solemn looking wizard, there was one singing or yelling in an inebriated state. For every child clinging to their parents' hands, there was one running or laughing through the crowd, absolutely delighted at what could be seen. Ginny had to make sure she wasn't hallucinating when she saw a shabby man producing a death eater mask from his robes and trying to auction it off.

Why were all these people here? It was obvious that some of them hadn't had a loved one die. In fact, for the first time, Ginny realized that a huge number of people had spent the last three days not grieving, but celebrating. Voldermort had been defeated. The death eaters had disbanded. Muggleborns were free. You didn't have to live in fear of being cursed. Of course people had been celebrating. Being at the Burrow had kept her in an insulated bubble of sorrow, and now that she saw it, she felt a bit foolish to not have realized that most of the world had been partying.

"This is absolutely mad! What the hell was Kingsley thinking, not making this a closed event?" Hermione rolled her eyes at Ron, as per usual, having been able to look beyond the immediate to see the underlying reasons. "People have been at war, Ronald. This was his best chance at getting everyone in one place at one time in a show of unity. Just look around you. There's Daphne Greengrass over there with her family. Even Mrs. Malfoy is here."

At that, Ginny's head shot up and around, honing in on where Hermione was looking. Ron grunted. "Fine. But we should at least have special seats or something." Harry said something after that, but Ginny didn't hear. She was much too preoccupied scanning the crowd, searching desperately for Draco's shockingly blonde hair. It was nowhere. Why wouldn't he be with his mother?

At some point, her mum had come over and was now close enough to whisper to her. "Go ahead and find him. I'm still not sure that I support this, but if he's who you need right now…" Ginny gave her mum a smile, and then hugged her tightly. "Thanks mum." And then she was off.

Weaving through the crowd was an exercise in concentration. She was briefly waylaid by Seamus who was there with his mum, searching for Dean who had come with Luna and her father. Yet her searches for Luna, Dean, and Draco were all fruitless. There were simply too many people.

As luck would have it, Mrs. Malfoy had yet to move, engrossed in some conversation with an obviously aristocratic woman who looked to be approaching her 100th birthday. Bracing herself, she approached the women with as much confidence as she could. "Excuse me, Mrs. Malfoy?" The conversation stopped, and both women turned around to stare at her with eyebrows raised. She couldn't help but be thankful that she had spent so much time making her hair look nice and that the black of her dress robes disguised the fact they were hand me downs.

"Would you happen to know where Draco is?" Mrs. Malfoy's expression tightened; her lips pursed together, and her eyes narrowed. Ginny waited her out, until Narcissia finally bit out an answer as it became obvious Ginny wasn't going to disappear. "He is with his father at the moment." Ginny continued to stare in confusion, until the very elderly friend ran out of patience.

"Oh for Merlin's sake! How thick are you? They're in Azkaban. Awaiting trial. Though with how many of them there are in there, wouldn't surprise me if their trial wasn't for a year yet."

For a moment, Ginny couldn't comprehend what had been said. And then the words sunk in. Ginny's heart twisted, and she fought to maintain control. She was not going to collapse to the ground. She was not going to lose it. He had told her this might happen. She should have expected it. At the witch's words, Mrs. Malfoy winced, and now that she was looking, Ginny could see that under her makeup, Mrs. Malfoy looked rather terrible. She looked tired and so very sad.

"I…" What could she say? That she was sorry? That she felt horrible? What were her feelings compared to those of Draco's mother? What right did she have to need comfort over this? "Oh." And then, not knowing what else to do, she fled. Plunging back into the crowd, she walked quickly, blinking rapidly and forcing herself to take deep breaths.

By the time she found her family again, she had gotten her emotions back under control. She saw her mum give her a questioning look, but thankfully, was saved from answering. Kingsley's voice boomed through the area, and all the guests were asked to take seats on the endless rows of benches that had been brought out to the field.

With help from a few silencing spells and other crowd control techniques, everyone eventually got seated and quiet as the Minister came onto the makeshift stage and began speaking.

"For as long as we have lived, there have been tensions amongst us. We have made assumptions about each other. Whether you are muggleborn, pureblood, werewolf, squib, you have had someone think ill of you for something you can't control. What we must learn is to focus instead on what we all have in common. Our love for our world is what will sustain us. We must learn to value each other, and understand that we all have a part to play. I am not asking for you to make friends with everyone sitting here today. What I am asking is basic respect for each other. Today we honor those who lost their lives, sacrificing themselves so we may have the opportunity to live without fear. Persecution of the type our muggleborns have endured shall never happen again to any of us. I ask for silence as I read the names and a brief description of the life they gave for us."

Given the sheer amount of names to be read, Kingsley did a wonderful job of going at a steady pace. Each person had a brief description, and then their name was inscribed into the large stone monument that had been erected. Once the ceremony was over, the monument would stay, and this field would be a place to visit for generations to come.

After the last name had been read, Kingsley stared at the crowd in silence, and people began to shift uncomfortably. Was that all? What would happen next? "Many of you would like me to stop here. After much discussion, thought, and consideration, there will be a second list at the bottom of this monument." Kingsley shot words out of his wand that hung in the air, black and ominous for all to read. **To err is to be human. To all who were misled or used, may you find peace here.**

Slowly, a roar overcame the crowd as people figured out what this meant. Aurors on standby were quick to react. Ginny watched as at least twenty people were petrified, causing screams and sobs to break out. And then a shuddering boom blasted through the field, and everyone found themselves staring at Minerva McGonagall. The protestors stilled as she stood firmly on the stage. Not only had a huge portion of the crowd had her as a professor during their time at Hogwarts, but her role in defending the castle during the Final Battle was well known.

"To those of you who are angry, to those of you who have suffered; be sorry for those who couldn't see the light. This does not justify their actions. This does not condone what they did. This is to remind ourselves that divided, we will fall. That in the end, there is no winning side in a war. Both sides will suffer, and both sides will be rife with needless death."

Ginny could tell there was still unrest in the audience. That there were plenty of people very unhappy with the Ministry's decision. But the combined presence of McGonagall and Kingsley was enough to keep order while the monument flashed, and a list of names was added to the bottom under the description Kingsley had shown. The names weren't said. The people weren't honored with descriptions of their lives. But they were carved into the stone, giving their grieving families an acknowledgement of their loss.

The silence lasted very briefly. Harry was looking around with a frown as shouting broke out, a wizard near them screaming "Blast that scum off!" Ginny watched Hermione grab Harry's arm, but didn't know what it meant. What Hermione was trying to get Harry to do. If they were speaking, Ginny couldn't hear them over the din. And then she lost sight of them as she fell to the floor, avoiding a purple jinx that was shot over her head. Scrambling for her own wand, she cast a deflection charm to combat a blue hex headed for George's back.

"Oi! You lot! Look up here!" Ginny's head whipped around in shock as she heard Ron's voice blasting through the air. How in Merlin's name? Hermione. Of course. Hermione had her wand out, obviously having just cast a Sonorus Maxima charm on her brother that was incredibly powerful. The three of them had managed to get up on the stage and now had the whole wizarding world staring at them.

She saw Hermione cast another charm, this time on Harry, and his voice reverberated through the crowd. "There's been a lot said about me over the years. There's a lot of you out there eager to call me a hero. But the truth is I am only one of many heroes. Most of the heroes of this war toiled without praise or recognition for years. Decades even. Many of you think Severus Snape isn't deserving of his name being remembered, much less honored, but he had one of the hardest and most difficult roles in bringing down Voldermort. Most of you hear Sirius Black and think murderer and traitor, but in fact he was the closest thing to a father I ever had and a hero who suffered in Azkaban for over a decade needlessly. Regulus Black has long been known as a death eater from the first war, but the truth is he lost his life trying to kill Voldermort. You might think you know a person. Know if they were good or evil, but the truth is you don't. No one knows what went through the minds of those who are now dead. There might be horrible people on that list that deserve all your scorn. But there's also heroes on that list, whether you want to believe it or not. And anyone who is thinking about defiling this monument is spitting in the face of countless, unknown sacrifices these people made for you."

It was a powerful speech. A heart felt speech. And it took all of thirty seconds after its end for the crowd to start booing. Fights broke out once again, screams and hexes flying through the air, chaos rampant. She saw Harry throw up a shield charm against an unknown attacker, his eyes wide with panic. She saw an Auror blast a wizard who was running for the monument into a tree. She heard Kingsley desperately trying to call for order. And then she was being grabbed by Percy, who wasted no time in apparating her back home. She had just managed to regain her balance when she saw Percy pop away again, leaving her all alone.

For the first time, it dawned on her how unstable things were. Voldermort dying had always been the end goal. The ultimate victory. But he was dead now, and the world was still not at peace. She felt angry indignation take over. Where did those people get off? Judging those who had actually had to contend with Voldermort. They didn't know what he was like. How manipulative and terrifying he was. If Voldermort had been threatening their family, they would have folded as easily as paper. Luna's father had been one of the bravest people in all of wizarding Great Britain for months, publishing support for Harry while the Ministry labelled Harry a criminal. And even he had eventually buckled under Voldermort, willing to turn Harry, Ron, and Hermione in for the safe return of Luna.

Almost none of the people in that crowd had been at the Battle of Hogwarts. Almost none of them had been forced to decide between what was easy and what was right. Voldermort had simply ignored them and they had continued living their lives, turning a blind eye to the increasingly horrible Ministry decrees. She wanted to scream. To apparate right back into that crowd and blast anyone who had dared to boo Harry's speech. Being underage was utter shite.

It was nearly an hour later when her family all returned. The left side of her father's face was swollen like a balloon and Ron had dried blood smeared all around his nose. Still upset at having been left out of the fight, Ginny honed in on her brother and snipped at him. "Forgot you're a wizard then?" Ron's face immediately reddened. "The bastard had it coming to him!" Harry looked over with a small smile tugging at his lips. "To be fair, you had just accused him of licking some toad's boots for his shiny Ministry badge."

Ron puffed out his chest. "It's true! Anyone wearing a badge declaring them Deputy of Transportation had to have been a bootlicker. No way the death eaters ignored a department as big as that." Hermione's lips pursed. "Or he had been subject to the imperius curse and was just now free of it. In which case, you completely deserved that broken nose." Ron stood there gaping at her, and Ginny turned her attention towards her parents. No doubt Ron and Hermione were on the verge of another heated "conversation". They refused to call them fights.

"So how did it finally end?" Her mum was the one who answered, her dad's face half obscured by a frozen package of beef. "It was unbelievable! Grown wizards and witches acting like children! In the end the Aurors arrested nearly two dozen. I can't imagine what they were thinking! There's been enough fighting for a lifetime already."

As it turned out, Kingsley was in full agreement with her mother. Just two days later, those detained at the memorial service were released, and an edict was sent out that any acts of personal revenge would hereby be treated as criminal assaults. Additionally, any acts of vandalism regarding the resting place of any witch or wizard would be subject to a heavy fine and a short stint in Azkaban. Even so, there was a pair of Aurors stationed at the Memorial Stone as a precaution, and the families of fallen death eaters were delaying their funerals out of fear of attacks.

Fred's burial service had been just as difficult as Ginny feared. Her mum had been an absolute mess, and George only made it through half of his speech, before choking up too badly to continue. In an effort to do his memory justice, Ginny convinced Ron to help her set off a whole box of Wild-Fire Whiz-Bangs at the end, reminding everyone of the spectacular fireworks display that had infuriated Umbridge two years ago. It had been a risky move, and Ginny half expected to get yelled at for it by her mum. But much to her surprise, the fireworks had made everyone smile, even George.

The real showdown of the night came after dinner, when her mum discovered the empty laundry basket. Hermione had quickly admitted to doing the laundry, claiming that she thought it would be a nice way to help out, but her mum hadn't bought it. Her mother immediately started an interrogation that ended with Ron yelling about how this is why they were leaving, that he couldn't be smothered like this anymore. It came out that the clothes had all been packed already, the three of them planning to head out tomorrow, and chaos had ensued.

Ginny wasted no time in darting out of the door and heading for the broom shed. It wasn't until she was high in the air, darting through tree branches, that she allowed herself to think. No matter what her mum said tonight, she knew that come tomorrow, the three of them would be gone. It had only been a week since the Battle of Hogwarts, but it already felt like a lifetime ago. Pretty soon the funerals would all be over with, and everyone would be expected to move on with their lives. Including her. She knew that she was capable of being independent. Of living her life on her own. But she also knew that she didn't want to. She wanted Draco. And as selfish as it was, she didn't care who he had hurt. What laws he had broken. She just wanted him free.


	18. Trials and Tribulations

**Chapter 3: Trials and Tribulations**

"Don't forget to write! I've packed you some snacks. And if those robes start getting too short just let me know. With all your brothers out of the house now, it really isn't a problem. We can manage some new ones." Ginny sighed, and squeezed her mum tightly. "I'll be fine. Besides, I like the worn in feeling. New robes are much too stiff. I've got to go now. I'll see you at Christmas!"

Ginny had to nearly peel herself out of her mother's arms, before racing for the train. It was September 1st. Finally, the summer had ended. Not only was it literally the longest summer of her life, having begun May 2nd and all, but also figuratively.

For so many reasons, she had been determined to keep herself busy and distracted. The end of summer had actually been the easiest. She had spent the last three weeks helping George reopen his shop, and learned that being a shop keeper was an impossibly stressful job. A part of her was almost dreading the upcoming school year, knowing full well just how many pranks her classmates had bought. In fact, she had half a mind to go find the Head Boy and Girl and warn them of just what they were about to face. But honestly, she was also glad. They all deserved a year of fun and laughs after what they had gone through last year.

And of course, thankfully, dealing with any pranks was not her responsibility. No. Her only responsibility this year was to herself and to her Quidditch team. Jannice would have to be a special kind of idiot to think Ginny didn't have every intention of challenging her for the Quidditch Captain position this year. Ginny had gone out flying nearly every day this summer, forcing George into playing against her so she could practice her chaser skills. While he hadn't been nearly the challenge Pucey had been, she knew her skills had improved.

"Ginny!" Spinning around, Ginny barely kept from dropping her luggage in shock. "Dean! What in Merlin's name are you doing here?"

Dean looked good for having been on the run all of last year. His frame had filled out a bit, and he seemed to have grown into his ears. "Well I decided to get some NEWTS, didn't I? Bit odd really, being the same year as you now. Still, at least I'm not the only one." Ginny could only stare at him in confusion.

He looked back at her with an eyebrow raised. "You didn't hear? Thought for sure Hermione would have mentioned it." Ginny thought quickly, piecing it together. Hogwarts still being under construction, the Ministry had set up testing sites in June for all the fifth and seventh years to take their OWLS and NEWTS. But people like Dean and Hermione who had missed their entire seventh year curriculum…of course they wouldn't have been able to take the NEWTS. If they wanted to finish their education, they would have to come back for a full school year. In fact, all the muggleborn students must now be a year behind.

"Have you seen her then? The last I knew they were still in Australia." The last letter from them had been a week ago, and had been a great relief to read. After almost three months of research, Hermione had finally felt confident in trying to undo her obliviation spells. Thankfully, it had worked. But instead of heading home, the three of them had decided to give themselves a vacation, and remain there for a bit of fun.

Dean looked startled at her question. "Have I seen her? No, I just sort of assumed…what is she doing in Australia?" A whistle blew, signaling the start of the ride, and Ginny proceeded to get into a compartment with Dean before telling him all about Hermione's parents. From there, they found themselves chatting about their summers, their experiences during the war, and even touching upon politics. "Did Carrow really force you to use unforgivables?" Ginny grimaced and nodded.

Dean whistled through his teeth and leaned back against his seat. "Crazy isn't it? How many of us have used unforgivables this past year? No wonder Kingsley had to give a blanket reprieve for using them in times of war. Still, I wish he didn't. Did you read the charges against Malfoy? He'd be charged with imperius if not for that bloody reprieve. Can't believe that bastard might get away with everything after all."

Ginny's throat nearly closed up with suppressed emotion. Never mind reading the charges against Draco. She had burned them into her mind, hoping desperately that none of them would stick. The Prophet had been covering all the upcoming trials, trying to predict sentences. The first round of them were to start next week. A fact which was driving her absolutely spare. The first morning she saw his name in the paper, the headline had been sensationalized. She had only read "Malfoy- A Life Sentence for Underage Crime?" before dropping the paper in a panic, nearly avoiding succumbing to a meltdown right there at the kitchen table.

Her parents had been spurred into action, her mother trying to calm her down while her father picked up the paper and read the article in full. Her mother had sat next to her, holding her hand, as Ginny tried to get a grip while her father read. As it turned out, the article was in fact doubting that a life sentence would ever happen, unforgivable or not, and preparing readers to accept that crimes done under fear of being killed were likely to receive light sentences.

Still, her reaction had prompted her parents to keep their mouths shut about their own opinions of Draco. In fact, the only complaint she heard them voice about any Malfoy trial the whole summer was when it was revealed that the Head Warlock of the Wizengamount was to preside over Lucius' trial. It was an open secret that he and Lucius Malfoy had been friendly for decades and no one was expecting him to hand down a life sentence for the elder Malfoy either.

"Gin? You alright?" Ginny looked back at Dean, and realized that he didn't know. Didn't have a clue what Draco meant to her. "Yeah, I'm fine. Speaking of former classmates though, have you heard from Neville or Seamus?" And just like that, they slid right back into pleasant conversation.

"Want to share a carriage up?" Piling off the train, Ginny paused in her search for Luna to look back at Dean. The train ride up had been lovely. They hadn't talked like that since they had first started dating. There was no reason to say no. It seemed like they had moved beyond the awkwardness of being exes, and were finally ready to be friends. It made her smile. "Sure."

Walking into the Great Hall, it seemed as if the Battle had never happened. She knew it had been a massive effort. There had been extensive coverage of the repairs, not to mention Percy's own reports on the progress. He and Bill had been at Hogwarts on and off all summer, helping to clear debris and recast enchantments. Much to her mum's dismay, with the war over, Bill fully intended to go back to curse breaking in exotic locations. He had held off for the summer, but he and Fleur were soon to be departing for Peru.

More surprising than the Hall though, was the bush of brown hair bobbing towards the Gryffindor table. Ginny almost blinked in astonishment. She was here? "Hermione?" The girl turned, a shiny Head Girl badge pinned on her robe, and Ginny squealed, racing towards her.

"You couldn't have mentioned this in one of Ron's letters! Congratulations!" Hermione positively beamed. "Thanks Ginny! I really was shocked. I almost didn't accept it. But then I thought, this is just what the school needs to see isn't it? It's a statement that prejudice and hate really have no place here anymore. That muggleborns-" Anticipating Hermione's upcoming speech, Ginny cut her off with a hug. "Oh never mind all that! Focus on the important things. Now that you're Head Girl, we can go anywhere we want after curfew and take points from anyone who bothers us!"

Hermione put her hands on her hips, trying to look reproving, but her smile completely ruined the effect. Ginny rolled her eyes good naturedly. "Of course I'm kidding. You're going to be brilliant Hermione. Really. The best Head Girl this school has ever seen." The rest of the Welcoming Feast, Ginny spent chatting with Hermione, hearing all about Australia, and wishing desperately to go herself someday. She had worried how she would feel coming back after last year, but so far everything felt strangely normal. She was back. Back to a Hogwarts that was as safe as a magical school could be expected to be.

After the feast, Hermione went off to make sure all the prefects were doing their jobs with welcoming the first years, and Ginny headed up to Gryffindor Tower for the first time since last October. She went to bed that night in high spirits, perfectly optimistic about the year, already planning Quidditch try outs in her head.

"So of course I assigned her to rounds anyways. As if a game of Exploding Snap gone wrong is any reason to neglect your duty- hey! 10 points from Slytherin for indecent behavior!" Ginny watched with alarm as Astoria spun around to stare at Hermione incredulously. The two of them had just entered the greenhouse, only to be met with the sight of a Slytherin snog session.

"Indecent behavior! For kissing? That's rich, given what that one over there was doing all of last year." Hermione looked utterly perplexed, and Ginny spoke quickly, trying to keep Astoria from saying another word. "Quite daring of you, making out near the Venemous Tentacula. Are you sure it was Puckle's arm around you and not a tentacle?" Both Slytherins nearly jumped away from the table as they realized just what plant they had been near, distracting them long enough for Professor Sprout to come in, followed soon after by the rest of their classmates. Ginny breathed a sigh of relief.

Pairing up with Hermione, Ginny dove into the first lesson of the year with gusto. There was something incredibly refreshing to knowing that any plants they helped with this year wouldn't be used for dark purposes. That there was no need to try and bungle up assignments on purpose or think about an enemy using the plant against you. Not to mention that with Hermione as a partner, the inevitable risks of handling the plants were considerably less. By the end of the lesson, Ginny was flying high, having received her first O for classwork since sometime last December.

"Ginny? What did Greengrass mean back there? About what you were doing last year?" Ginny nearly ground to a halt at Hermione's question, but then picked up speed again and continued heading back into the castle. "What? Oh, I don't know. Who cares? You know, I should have known something was going on between her and Puckle. The two of them spent half of last year at each other's throats. Though I suppose they still are, eh?" She nudged Hermione, smiling at her own joke, but Hermione seemed not to have even heard her.

"Ginny, I meant to ask you ages ago. It sort of slipped my mind. But last year, did you have-"

Ginny's eyes flew past Hermione and landed on Luna. Perfect. "Luna! Headed up from Care of Magical Creatures, are you? How's Hagrid doing?" And with that stoke of utter brilliance, Luna had joined them for the walk up and the conversation was redirected. She purposefully ignored Hermione's irritated gaze, and promised herself that this was only temporary. She would tell Hermione eventually. She just wanted a good first day of classes is all. To give Hermione time to remember what a wonderful person and friend she was, and that she shouldn't let a boy get between them. Because that would just be stupid.

It was a good plan and would have worked, if not for the unfortunate fact that she shared a dorm not only with Hermione, but with Antigone and Lizzie as well. It was well after ten o'clock and the girls were all getting ready for bed, when Antigone started nervously moving around. After a large sigh, she wrung her hands together and then looked at Ginny. "Ginny? How did you know you were ready to have sex?"

Lizzie gasped, eager to be in on the gossip. And Hermione spun around, wide eyed and absolutely shocked. Ginny's entire face went red. "I uh…you're thinking about sleeping with Titus then?" Antigone flushed. "No, I mean…maybe. I don't know. I shouldn't, right? Not until we're engaged at least. But it's getting so hard not to go further when we're together." Overcoming her shock, Hermione could no longer keep quiet. "But you're still in school! Doing that sort of thing at Hogwarts is completely against the rules. Section 5, Article 8 explicitly states that-"

"Yes, alright! I know. We all know. It's against the rules. I wasn't asking you anyhow, was I? Ginny?" Ginny could feel Hermione's incredulous stare, but couldn't return it. Instead, she focused on Antigone. "Well, I mean I suppose it's worth thinking about that if it all goes pear shaped, would you be willing to marry him and have his kids? Is he who you see yourself with for the rest of your life?" Antigone's brow furrowed, obviously not having expected that, and then huffed.

"That's the answer my mum would give! I'm asking how _you_ knew. And if you expect me to believe it was because you were ready to settle down and have Malfoy's spawn, you must think me an absolute idiot." Ginny's head whipped around to watch as Hermione's gasp of shock turned into molten anger. "Malfoy!"

Ginny made a mad leap for her end table, but it was too late. Hermione had summoned Ginny's wand and was now clutching both hers and Ginny's in tight fists. "Hermione I-"

"You slept with Malfoy! Did you lose your mind? Were you imperiused? Did someone use a love potion on you? How could you!" Wandless, Ginny could only look on as Hermione continued to rant. "I can't believe you would do that! After everything he put us through! For God's sake, he was a deatheater!"

It was too much. Without knowing what she was doing, Ginny leapt out of bed and yelled right back. "He never wanted to be a deatheater and you know it! He never put me through anything I couldn't handle! He was never evil, and I would know! You think I gave a shit about insults over hand me downs after having survived Tom?"

"Is that really your defense? He's not as bad as Voldermort? You don't give away your body to someone because they aren't as evil as a psychopath! Tell me you were at least drunk or high from potion fumes or something."

Ginny's hand itched for her wand. She knew her temper was out of control. That she was going to regret this in the morning. Still, it didn't stop her from saying it. "Oh shut up! I'm sorry I'm not perfect like you! You want to know the truth? I thought he was fit. So bloody fit, that I wanted to run my hands all over him and forget everything else. And Merlin, was he good at making me forget about everything other than the feeling of his cock in me."

"Stop! I'm not listening to this!" Ginny had walked across the room and was now very much in Hermione's face. "If you don't want to hear it, then don't ask!"

"I can't believe I ever thought we were friends!" Ginny scoffed. "As if you would ever let anyone else into your little circle. Why don't you just marry the both of them and be done with it? Then you can all be together forever!"

Speechless, Hermione dropped Ginny's wand on the floor and then stormed out, the door banging shut behind her. Ginny stood there, breathing heavily and trying to regain a sense of calm while Antigone and Lizzie looked at her in shock. "What?" Neither of her dorm mates said a word. She watched them share a look, and then both proceeded to pull their bed curtains closed, leaving Ginny alone with her emotions.

She should go apologize. She had been out of line. She knew that Hermione had every right to be upset at learning that she had been with Draco. If she were Hermione, she would feel betrayed as well. But what would she say? What could she say? No doubt Hermione would want to hear that Ginny regretted being with Draco. That sleeping with him had been a terrible mistake and she would never do it again. But she wasn't going to lie.

She wanted advice. Needed it really. The kicker? The person she wanted advice from the most was Draco. Unfortunately, Azkaban didn't allow for owl post so even writing to him wasn't an option. In the end, she simply picked up her wand and crawled into bed. Maybe things would look better in the morning. By then, they both would have gotten a chance to cool off and she could apologize at breakfast.

Hermione wasn't at breakfast. Ginny felt her chest tighten and reassured herself that it was fine. She would see Hermione in Transfiguration. But when she arrived, it was to find Hermione had already sat with some Ravenclaw, and refused to look over when Ginny called her name. In the halls, she watched Hermione nearly fly down the corridors, effectively squashing any chance of Ginny catching up to her. The entire day continued like this, Hermione using others to block any chance of Ginny getting her alone, and Ginny realized just how much experience Hermione had with holding a grudge. She felt acute despair as she remembered just how long Hermione and her brother had managed to fight over the years. The two of them had iced each other out for months at a time, and even Harry hadn't been able to get them to reconcile.

Even in their dorm, Hermione managed to get herself to bed before Ginny, and charmed her bed curtains closed so that Ginny couldn't pry them open. After two days of this, Ginny finally lost it. She stood there red faced, yelling at the bed curtains she knew Hermione was hiding behind, hoping that sound at least made it through her charms. "I'm sorry Hermione! I didn't mean to insult you! I won't apologize for sleeping with Draco, but I am sorry I hurt you."

Hermione's face peered out of the curtains, staring at her with a piercing gaze. "It wasn't just a one time thing was it? I've been putting together everything I've overheard and I've come to an impossible conclusion. Not only were you with Malfoy long-term, but even your parents knew about it. After the Battle, you were with him, weren't you?" Ginny nodded slowly, and Hermione's eyes narrowed. "Why?"

Lizzie and Antigone were downstairs, having had no desire to be involved in her and Hermione's fight. Meaning Ginny really had no excuse to not be honest. "I didn't lie before. At first, it really was mostly physical. I thought I would die soon, and I was depressed. Being with him, it made me feel better. And then we started having all these conversations, and I realized I just liked him. I really did. I know you think he's a twat. But maybe I need that. Do you know how rare it is for someone to hold their own against me? To not be afraid to fight with me and then be ready to move on afterwards? I don't know how to explain it. We just mesh."

Hermione was looking at her in horror. "I can't believe this. You've actually fallen for him, haven't you?" Ginny bit her lip, and decided not to say that she was in love with him. She was half afraid such a confession would cause Hermione to faint in disbelief. Instead she went with something much simpler. "Yeah."

Hermione's eyes rounded, and her head bobbed up and down. "Right, I see. Well, in that case…I'll talk to you this weekend. I have a bit of research to do first. Night." And with that, Hermione's curtains blew shut, leaving Ginny staring at them gobsmacked. She had always known Hermione was a bit odd, but that had been downright bizarre. She had research to do? Shaking her head, Ginny headed back down to the Common Room to try and get her Charms assignment done before bed, and to put her conversation with Hermione out of her mind.

It was Sunday morning when Hermione finally approached her, dragging her away from breakfast and into the library. Ginny's protest that the library didn't even open until ten on Sunday fell on deaf ears, as Hermione fished out a key and unlocked the library herself. At Ginny's look, Hermione only shrugged. "Head Girl privileges. Now come on. I have a lot to show you."

Any interest Ginny might have had in the excursion dissipated as she saw the pile of books Hermione had stacked in front of them. "Hermione, what is all this?" Hermione's eyes shone. "An explanation for your feelings. See, I think what's really going on here is a manifestation of pressures you've put on yourself. Look here! Centuries of conservative views on sex, which you have absorbed, telling you that you have to marry the man you sleep with. Nonsense of course. And of course you wouldn't know about oxytocin; none of these books even make mention of it, but it's a hormone your body releases after sex that makes you feel attached to the other person. So really, your feelings for Malfoy could all just be your hormones playing tricks on you. See, this is why going slow is so important. So you can know for sure what your feelings are before piling all this on your brain."

It was as if Hermione was speaking a foreign language. Ginny was sure Hermione's intentions were good, but all she could feel was outrage. "Are you saying my feelings aren't real? That I'm not capable of thinking straight? I'm not under some potion's influence, thank you very much! I don't have oxymotin or whatever it was you said!"

Hermione looked terribly distressed. "No! Don't you get it? I'm trying to show you that it's not your fault for feeling the way you do! By having sex, you messed up your mind, but now we can straighten it out!"

"Why can't you just accept what I told you, and leave it be? Love isn't always logical Hermione. It can't be defined by some stupid book. It's a feeling. Something you can't control or make sense of. And you know it! You've been in love with Ron for years. You loved him when he was an arse. When he had his tongue down another girl's throat. When he refused to speak to you for weeks! Don't tell me you wouldn't have chosen to stop loving him if you could." Hermione looked near tears.

"But why Malfoy? Any other wizard would have been better!" Ginny had no answer to give. The two witches stared at each other, each at a loss for words, and then Ginny turned around and left. The quaffle was in Hermione's pitch now. Ginny had said her piece. Either Hermione was going to come round, or she wasn't. There was nothing to do but wait and see.

Determined not to dwell on it anymore, Ginny spent the rest of the day putting together the sign up sheet for Quidditch tryouts, and planning all the drills potential players would run through. Really, she didn't expect the team to change much from last year, but try outs were definitely necessary. Dean was back after all, and she had every intention of needling him back into being a chaser. While not quite as good as Jannice, he would certainly be a step up from little Colton Fisher.

The second week of classes started with Hermione no longer avoiding her, but still not making any move to talk to her. Ginny decided to give her space, and found herself pairing up with Dean more often than not. She only shared two classes with Luna this year, Luna's schedule a complete mess of mixed classes as she tried to catch up from having missed half of last year.

Luckily, Ginny missing all of April didn't seem to have done her nearly as much harm. The school year having been cut short last year, all the professors were reteaching the last units from last year anyways. Even so, a full schedule of NEWT classes was already wearing her down so that by Thursday, she was rushing to breakfast with uncombed hair and mismatched socks, having stayed up until 1 am last night finishing her translation for Runes.

She raced in, just in time to hear Dean yell 'bloody hell' and begin reading the paper out loud to a large chunk of the table.

**_Malfoy trial stuns all in surprise verdict. Wednesday morning, Lucius Abraxas Malfoy pleaded not guilty to charges of abetting He Who Must Not Be Named in the torturing and killing of an unknown number of wizards and witches. Crucial to his case, was the fact that his wand had been taken and destroyed by He Who Must Not Be Named last July, leaving him unable to perform even the simplest of spells. His claim of being no more than a victim as his house was repeatedly invaded by unwanted visitors, specifically He Who Must Not Be Named and assorted death eaters, was supported by Pensive memories voluntarily given of these occurrences. Additionally, it was found that the defendant had been subject to torture himself at the hands of He Who Must Not Be Named, a particularly brutal session this past April having nearly killed him. _**

**_Testimony from those at the Battle of Hogwarts verified that the defendant had not fought alongside the death eaters, but spent the battle running around unarmed, searching only for his son. Lacking any evidence of an attack personally perpetrated by the defendant, and taking into account the recent cooperation of the defendant with the Aurors, the Wizengamount was left with no choice but to find the defendant not guilty._**

**_Instead of rejoicing at his acquittal, however, he was forced to join his wife as a spectator at the trial of none other than his son. Draco Lucius Malfoy was brought in next, facing charges of abetting deatheaters in the murder of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. Earlier charges of attempted murder had been dropped, given the defendant's age at the time of the alleged attempts. _**

**_After much debate and heated discussion, it was concluded that despite being coerced into his actions, his mother and himself having been threatened with death if he did not comply, he still chose to spend many hours repairing an object with malicious intent. Prior to sentencing, the court was reminded that since that incident, the defendant had participated in no death eater attacks. Particularly, it was emphasized that at the Battle of Hogwarts he had not heeded the call of He Who Must Not Be Named for his followers, but instead remained at the Castle amongst those fighting against He Who Must Not Be Named. _**

**_In a controversial sentencing, the Wizengamount declared him guilty but set his sentence at a mere four months, a perfect match for time already served by the defendant while waiting for his trial. The Malfoys spent the next two hours in the courtroom, giving interviews even while D. Malfoy remained chained to his chair while the paperwork was approved and verified for his release._**

**_Lucius Malfoy's verdict is of particular interest in regards to tomorrow's trials, which include three Ministry officials facing similar charges of abetting death eater activity, while not having perpetuated any of the attacks themselves. Will the Wizengamount continue to be lenient of circumstances and view them as victims as well? _**

Dean stopped reading, and after a minute of silence, the entire table was rife with discussion, opinions bouncing back and forth over whether the Wizengamount had lost its mind or not. Instead of participating in them though, Ginny watched as an eagle owl swooped over, and dropped a piece of heavy parchment in front of her. She stared at it in fear. She hadn't meant to miss his trial. She honestly never thought that his trial would be in the first few days of them. Had he looked for her in the stands? What had he thought when he realized she wasn't there? How could she have let her classwork distract her from the lists of trials? Had they even listed it? How did one find out when a trial was anyhow?

Her only comfort was that it wasn't a howler. Breaking open the seal, she scanned the bottom for some sort of endearment to reassure herself, but it only said D.M. Gulping, she forced herself to read it from start to finish.

_Gin,_

_As you probably have found out from the paper by now, I am no longer being held in Azkaban, though I'm sure a good number of people wish it were otherwise. I'm writing this in the hopes that you're not one of those disappointed by my release. These past four months have felt like an eternity, and I know it would be foolish to think nothing's changed since we saw each other in May. Still, here's hoping. Miss me?_

_-D.M._

At the last line, Ginny nearly lost it. She couldn't tell if she was in danger of laughing or crying, but either way, she felt lighter than air. She had Potions in fifteen minutes, but she honestly could care less. With no explanation to anyone, she clutched the letter tightly in her hand and ran out of the Great Hall. Getting up to the Owlery took a significant amount of time, even with running, but it was as if time suddenly had no meaning.

Under normal circumstances, she spent as little time in the Owlery as possible. It was smelly, crowded, noisy, and there was the ever present danger of getting pooed on. Ginny sat on the floor, yanked parchment, ink, and quill out of her bag, and began writing. It was going to be far from a masterpiece. But she couldn't stand the thought of Draco having to wait any longer than possible to be reassured that yes, she did miss him. Desperately.

_Dear Draco,_

_You absolute idiot. Did I miss you? Of course I did. I love you, you wanker. I don't care if you have a meeting with the Minister himself on that day; I will kill you if you are not in Hogsmeade two weeks from this upcoming Saturday. We are going on a date, and then you are going to get us a room at The Three Broomsticks, where I will show you just how much I missed every bit of you. I'm sending this off now so you can get it as fast as possible, but be aware you are about to be inundated with letters from me. Do you have any idea how much I miss talking to you? Promise you will never end up in Azkaban again!_

_Love, (and you better start writing that as well even if you think it's stupid)_

_Ginny_

She turned up to Potions twenty minutes late. Slughorn was forced to give her a detention for tardiness, and she had to work alone to try and brew today's potion given her late arrival. Hermione was looking at her in disapproval, but Ginny realized she really didn't care. Absolutely nothing could ruin her mood. Draco was free. She had her boyfriend back. She wanted to laugh. She wanted to get on a broom and zoom around in circles. Now, why the hell was her potion purple instead of blue like everyone else's?

**_(A/N: For those of you surprised at Lucius being acquitted of his crimes, so was I. But according to Rowling, none of the Malfoys- including Lucius- were sentenced to Azkaban after the Final Battle. So there you go.)_**


	19. The Reunion

**Chapter 4: The Reunion**

"You know, that's basically cheating." Ginny looked up from her textbook, and over to where Hermione was working. Combined, the two had taken up half the table. It was Friday night so the library was practically deserted, giving them plenty of space.

Ginny answered back in exasperation, this not being the first time she had made her opinions about this known. "Merlin's sake, Hermione. He's not sending me essays to copy word for word. It's literally just a list of which books and what pages I need for all these blasted essays." And it was. Having written to him about how overwhelmed she was with Quidditch Captain duties along with a full NEWT course load, Draco had skimmed through his schoolwork from last year and given her some hints of where to look for information.

Of course, her flippant response did nothing but incense Hermione. Hermione's hair, puffed out and tangled from their late night of working, did nothing to dispel Ginny's impression of her as deranged. "That's half of the work! Most of what I learn is from reading while hunting for relevant information."

Ignoring her, Ginny began to scribble down what she had just read into her Transfiguration essay. But Hermione wasn't done. "I can't believe you've allowed Malfoy to corrupt you like this." Ginny's grip on her quill nearly snapped it in half. For the past two weeks, she had done her best to try and tune out any comments regarding Draco. She did still want Hermione as a friend. And Hermione was trying to be a friend, despite it all.

"Well maybe I should just owl him my finished essays instead. Have him edit and add any information I might have missed. Would that be less like cheating?" Hermione sniffed, knowing full well how often she had helped Harry and Ron over the years by doing just that. Ginny's point seemed to have done the trick. Hermione stopped her snippy comments, and Ginny continued to use Draco's letter as a guide for research as she cranked out two more essays before Madame Pince threw them out at closing time.

Ginny went to bed that night thinking sleep would come easily. After all, there was nothing to worry her. Instead, she spent half the night tossing and turning, unable to dampen her excitement about tomorrow. She was exceptionally proud of herself for having managed to keep her focus on school and Quidditch these past few weeks. Now though, she could only obsess over the fact that in less than twelve hours, she would finally see him in person.

"Is that my eyeliner?" Instead of feeling any guilt at having been caught, Ginny whipped around and stared at Lizzie with wide eyes. "Yes! Now help me use the blasted thing! I look like a bloody raccoon!" At the noise, Antigone and Hermione yanked back their bed curtains and gasped. Ginny had trashed their room. Outfits were strewn all over the floor, and opened things of makeup littered all four of their dressers.

As for Ginny herself, Hermione couldn't help but think unflattering thoughts. The right side of her hair had been French braided, but the left side of her hair was still pulled up in a sloppy bun. She had obviously been experimenting with makeup, as there were at least three distinct colors of eyeshadow and two shades of lipstick open in front of her. As for her outfit, Hermione thought her skirt looked as if she had outgrown it sometime back in fourth year, but decided to squeeze into it anyhow.

"Have you completely lost your mind?" Though it had been Lizzie that had asked the question, all three girls were in complete agreement that she most definitely had.

In fact, it turned out to be universal agreement. "Isn't that obvious! Now help me fix this! I thought makeup was supposed to make you look good, but I look like a bloody ape!" Antigone sighed, and went to get her makeup remover, while Lizzie squinted at her suspiciously.

"You never wear makeup. What's this all about?" Hermione couldn't help but twist her mouth in disgust. "Isn't it obvious? She's dressing up for Malfoy. Though that skirt has got to go. You look, well, a bit indecent to be honest." Lizzie sputtered in astonishment. "Malfoy! Don't tell me you're still letting yourself be used by that prick! Ginny! You are a war hero. Have some dignity. If anyone catches wind of this, you'll be back to being the school whore faster than you can blink!"

Ginny just rolled her eyes. "So what? They can't call me anything worse than they did last year." While Ginny and Lizzie continued to speak, Hermione sat on her bed and tried to analyze what Lizzie had said. Ginny had said it was physical at first. But Hermione was beginning to realize that must have only been Ginny's way of coloring the truth. The entire school had thought her a whore last year. Malfoy's whore. The bastard had used her. They hadn't been in a relationship. She had been used for sex, and the only one who didn't realize it was her.

Of course. None of Ginny's talk about feelings for him had made any sense. As if Malfoy would ever do anything but look down on a Weasely. But this, this made a terrible sort of sense. He had used her. Humiliated her in the most personal way possible. Made the entire school think of her as nothing but a slag, and no doubt gloated about it to his little cronies. Desperate to justify her actions to herself, Ginny had convinced herself it was more. That they actually felt something for each other. Ginny had deluded herself. Hermione felt her resolve strengthen as she realized what she had to do. Somehow, someway, she needed to save Ginny. To make her understand the truth; that Malfoy was nothing but a cruel, manipulative bastard. But how?

Ginny nearly tripped in her rush to leave the carriage, her eyes scanning the area for him. She had been very specific, informing him that she planned to be on the very first carriage out of Hogwarts. And there he was. Her stomach did a flip, a smile stretched across her face. She raced towards him, tackling him with enough force that he stumbled back a few steps before being able to regain his balance. Her face was buried in his neck, arms squeezing him much too tightly, but he didn't complain. Instead, she felt his arms go around her waist and his body relax into the embrace.

"Oi Malfoy! Thought we'd seen the last of you. Any chance you'd be willing to polyjuice as Rettler for our opening match? " Ginny managed to release her grip as Draco bantered back with his former housemate about Quidditch, and took the opportunity to really look at him. He seemed too thin, and he had let his hair grow a bit too long. Overall though, the ravages of Azkaban seem to have been minimal. Thank Merlin the Dementors had been swept out.

"So, where did you have in mind for this date of ours?" Ginny blinked as she realized he was now looking at her, and brought herself back to the moment. "Me? Oh no. This is our first official date. You're the man, which means you do the planning. So, where are you taking me?" Draco smirked, and leaned down to kiss her. And then suddenly, his hands had roamed down to grab her arse and he was whispering in her ear. "If I get to make the plans, we're heading to the Three Broomsticks immediately, and we are not leaving until you've sucked me dry and I've fucked you good and proper." Ginny's knees were suddenly as stable as jelly, and her lungs were short of air.

He had never spoken to her in public like that before. It was alarmingly sexy. But as much as she wanted to be in bed with him, she also wanted a proper date. She swallowed, and pushed any feelings of lust back. "Well then, I…I'll make the plans. We'll start with a morning walk, and then head to Madame Puddifoot's for lunch. After that, we'll head to Honeydukes and I can point out all my favourite sweets. The candy you gave me for Valentine's was for the most part fine, although I did have to give away the licorice wands. Those are absolutely disgusting." Draco's face had scrunched up as she talked, and she glared at him challengingly. "What?"

"I'm not stepping foot into that insipid tea shop."

"What? But you went with Pansy!"

"Well I was fifteen and didn't know better, did I?"

"Did you just ignore me that night that I explained why it's romantic?"

"Have you ever seen adults in there? No. It's for bumbling teenagers."

"So what? You're too mature now to do anything romantic?"

Fed up, Draco didn't even respond. Instead, he grabbed her hand and yanked her behind him as he started walking down the street. Stubbornly, Ginny dug her heels in and yanked back. "Where are you taking me?"

"On a date! Now pick your feet up and start walking or I'll throw you over my shoulder and carry you there." Ginny stared at him for a moment, and then broke into laughter. "We're not very good at this are we?" He ran his hand through his hair, and then grinned back at her. "Guess not. Think we scared that lot over there." Ginny followed his gaze to a group of what looked to be fourth or fifth years, hastening away at an impressive clip. Ginny broke into renewed laughter. Draco waited until she had collected herself, and then held her hand, much more gently this time. "Come on then. I really do have an idea for a walk. You ready?" Nodding, Ginny let him lead them through the village and realized this was the first time they had held hands in public. Grinning at him, she squeezed his hand. He squeezed back, neither of them needing any words to know just how happy the other was in that moment. How content.

Nearly an hour later, the contentment was beginning to wear thin. "Are you sure we should be going this far? The village must be miles behind us by now." Draco only continued to go forward, taking them up a rocky hill with nothing other than the occasional tuft of grass to look at. "Don't you trust me?"

Somebody else might have paused at his tone. Ginny did not. "Should I? Is navigation one of your hidden talents? And just how often have you plodded through the wilderness may I ask? You've likely gotten us lost. Thank Merlin it's not winter yet or we'd freeze up here long before a rescue party could save us." He rolled his eyes. "Just give it ten more minutes. Next time I bring you up here, I promise we'll apparate. Honestly, I thought you'd like the adventure of it all. Guess you're not as fearless as I thought."

That shut her up. She ignored his smirk, and might have been mad, but for the hand he suddenly extended towards her. A quick squeeze of his hand immediately reassured her there were no hard feelings on his end, and she grinned. Well, she supposed she had been a bit snappy. Once they crested the hill, Draco pulled them to a stop and Ginny looked down in awe. It was smaller than the lake near their school, but it was even more beautiful. An enormous blue tail broke through the water's surface, and Ginny gasped. "What was that?"

"A hippocampus. There was a fad to domesticate them in the 1950s and 60s. Someone must have gotten tired of their pets though and released them into this lake. Look, there's another one." Ginny's eyes shone. "Let's go down."

Draco went stiff and tightened his grip on her hand. "Absolutely not. Those are fanged geraniums growing wild down there, and the water is infested with kelpies and sprites." Ginny looked down the slope and tried to calculate a way through the brightly colored plants spotting the area.

"What if I promise to be careful?"

"Gin!"

"Fine, just halfway then. Please?" Kelpies and sprites were capable of coming out of the water and attacking if they felt their victim was close enough. If they only went halfway down though, surely that would still be far enough away. "You stop when I tell you. Deal?" Ginny nodded distractedly, and she heard Draco sigh before releasing her hand so they could each balance better as they made their way slowly down the rocky slope.

"Alright, that's far enough." Ginny fought with herself as every part of her wanted to go just a bit further. But in the end, she stayed put and waited for Draco to come up behind her. His arms went around her waist, and his chin rested on her shoulder. "My parents brought me here when I was nine. I had been begging to go to the lake the entire time we were in Hogsmeade, meaning of course the lake by Hogwarts. I was determined to see the castle ahead of time, but knew my parents would never take me if I said Hogwarts. I thought I was being clever by insisting on the lake. Anyways, I suppose they had gotten so annoyed with me, that they thought they would teach me a lesson. They told me that getting to the lake was a very hard and long walk, but I was insistent. I don't know if they actually knew about this lake, or if they had been planning to walk me up and down the hills until I got so tired I gave up. Either way, it worked out."

Ginny found she could imagine it perfectly. The harried and exasperated state his parents must have been in after a full day of being subjugated to a young Draco's whinging. "You were quite a little shite weren't you?" She could feel Draco smiling, and turned her head to kiss his cheek. He hummed contentedly, and kissed her neck. Ginny closed her eyes and tilted her head to the side to give him more access. Merlin, he felt good.

"Your turn. Tell me a story about the perfect little angel you absolutely weren't." It was silent for a while as Ginny tried to sort through her childhood stories. "Alright, I suppose fair is fair. When I was six, the village near our house had one of those traveling carnivals come through. My mum had us all put on muggle clothing and we snuck in, not knowing how to get tickets without muggle money. My dad must have confounded every ride operator there by the end of the night. When it was time to go though, I didn't want to leave. The swinging ship I was on only swung higher and higher, until it broke off the stand it was on and flew through the air. It landed on top of the stall selling fairy floss, but really that was probably just a coincidence. Apparently though, instead of feeling bad about any of the people I had injured, I jumped right out of the ship and starting stuffing my face. Ron mostly tells that story because he ended up with a broken wrist, but Fred always liked telling it too since Percy was sick all over some poor muggle couple he was sitting near."

Draco remained very quiet, and then he squeezed her tightly. "Sorry I couldn't make the funeral. How is your family doing?" They stayed out by the lake for hours, as Ginny told him all about the funerals and the Memorial Stone and the rest of her summer. In return, he opened up about how bleak it had been to stay in Azkaban. How time quickly lost meaning and dozing on and off was the most exciting part of the day. He had often found himself half asleep, having vivid dreams, wondering if he was losing his mind. They hadn't starved him, but his appetite was so small, that he often had no motivation to eat. "Even without dementors, I have no idea how anyone can stay there without going completely mad. It might almost be worse now. At least when you were being tortured by your worst fears, you weren't bored to death."

Eventually Ginny's stomach growled, and they headed back to the village for a late lunch. Once again, they held hands, still thrilled by the small act of affection. "Think you can get by with some pasties and a mug of cider? Three Broomsticks is bound to be stuffed to the rafters." Ginny refrained from mentioning the option of heading to Madame Puddifoot's, and nodded. "Should be fine. Candy for dessert though?"

Knowing that it would be impossible to move through the inn together, they dropped hands and opened the door, skirting around classmates all the way to the bar. "Four pasties and two mugs of cider." Madame Rosmerta immediately stilled, her eyes going wide as she realized just who had spoken to her. "You. How dare you show your face here." Ginny stood frozen to the spot.

Draco's back stiffened, and then he was bending down into a short bow. "I cannot apologize enough for what happened during that terrible year. It was a desperate decision on my part. If there is ever anything in the future that you find yourself needing, that proves difficult to acquire, I would be more than happy to help. Perhaps a word with Dougal?"

Madame Rosemerta had perked right up at that name, and then squinted suspiciously. "Have his ear, do you?" Draco leaned in and gave a conspiratorial smirk. "Madame, no one has that man's ear. His purse strings however, are another matter entirely." Ginny could only look on in bewilderment, as Rosmerta's entire demeanor warmed.

Ginny waited until they had brought their lunch to a table outside, and then let her curiosity explode. "What the bloody hell was that!" Draco looked incredibly pleased with himself. "That was the successful completion of hours of research. Last year, I avoided that place like the plague. Sent other people in to order for me, or simply walked past it altogether. So I started sniffing around, trying to figure out who I could make friends with to smooth all this over. Turns out the pub in Rosmerta's home village is run by some brute. He's tough as bricks and nearly sent her to St Mungos when she tried to buy the pub off him a few years back. But he also has an outstanding loan, a debt I could easily pay off for him, if he agreed to negotiate with Rosmerta over leaving his pub to her."

Ginny shook her head in bewilderment, and he knocked feet with her lightly under the table. "Glad it worked though. Was sort of hoping to get that squared away. You know. Before I try and get her to rent a room to me later." Ginny stared at him as he looked away and began digging into his pasty, suddenly realizing the pressure she had put on him with her letter. He must have been nervous all morning, not knowing what Rosmerta would do when they went in to rent a room. He could have been refused service, something which would have been publically humiliating. Worse, he could have been accused of something nefarious and threatened to be reported.

He had not only been willing to brave the Three Broomsticks for her, he had worked to find a way to make Rosmerta forgive him. Well, it was definitely going to be worth it. She had every intention of making him see stars later.

"So have you thought about what classes to drop yet?" Ginny purposefully bit into her own lunch giving herself time to think. When she had first read his letter telling her to drop classes, she had been indignant. Did he not think she could handle her schedule? That she wasn't smart enough to succeed if she put her mind to it? Since then, she had come to the unfortunate realization that he might be right. She couldn't do it all. She had to prioritize.

"Potions and maybe Ancient Runes. I do like it, but I guess I can always study runes later from books if I want." Draco sipped his cider, and then shook his head. "Not Potions. Slughorn likes you, and for all his bluster, he really does have a lot of connections. Staying in Potions will keep you in his good graces. You might be able to use him to connect with Gwenog Jones after graduation."

Ginny's mouth dropped open, pieces of beef falling out, before she closed it and wiped off the mess. Gwenog Jones. Could Slughorn really do that for her? As they ate, Draco went through all her classes with her, helping her create a pro-con list for dropping them. He had almost agreed with her that she should drop Transfiguration, until he discovered it was her only class with Pucey. He was annoyed to learn Ginny hadn't asked the Slytherin to start up their scrimmages yet, and told her to fix that as soon as possible.

Ginny sighed, and couldn't help but feel dread at having to approach Pucey. She knew Draco was right, but that didn't mean she wanted to do it. "Why don't I just ask Dean? He's a chaser. And more importantly, he's a friend." Draco choked slightly on his last gulp of cider, and then slammed the mug back down. "Thomas? He's back at Hogwarts?"

Ginny shrugged. "Yeah. Him and Hermione. Which honestly, makes my year a whole lot better than I thought it'd be. Other than Luna, I hadn't known if I was going to have any real friends at Hogwarts this year." He looked slightly out of sorts at that news, and Ginny reached over to grab his hand. "Alright then?"

He nodded distractedly and then flicked a glance down at their table. "Ready for Honeydukes?" Ginny nodded and gulped the last of her cider before standing up and looping her arm through his. Then lifting her heels off the ground, she planted a firm kiss on his cheek. "Thank you for lunch." He looked down at her, and leaned down for a proper kiss. "Anytime."

To her surprise, it turned out that Honeydukes was by far Draco's favorite shop. Saying he had a sweet tooth was an understatement. They spent nearly an hour in there, making fun of each other's favorites, and daring each other to try some of the more disgusting ones. They left with a bag each, Ginny still giggling over Draco's expression from when he stuck a magma mint into his mouth at her prodding.

"That was positively disgusting." Ginny looked up at him, eyes gleaming. "Charcoal's supposed to be good for your teeth you know. Really, you should be thanking me."

"Oh I'll thank you alright. Come here." Ginny's eyes closed and her free hand grabbed onto his cloak as he began thoroughly snogging her. A wolf whistle caused her eyes to flash open, and her body to retract from his. He was looking at her with blatant want, and didn't seem at all bothered by the idea others might be watching. To be fair, they had spent all of last year snogging in front of their classmates. No doubt he had gotten used to it. And honestly? She had too. Ignoring the people around them, her tongue was soon entangled with his. Her hands itched to make their way under his shirt, and she knew he was fighting the same impulse. She pulled back, and rested one hand on his waistband. "It's time for that room."

He nodded, and the two of them soon found themselves back at the bar in the Three Broomsticks. Rosmerta raised an eyebrow as Draco asked for a room, and then slid her gaze to Ginny. "I'll need to confirm you're of age. Even so, does your mother know about this?" Ginny squeezed Draco's arm in warning. This was only going to work if Rosmerta felt sure that Ginny was making her own decision about this.

"She does actually. And so does my father if that helps set your mind at ease." Frowning in disapproval, Madame Rosmerta pulled a vial out from under the bar and Ginny leaned over to spit in it. The potion glowed yellow, and Rosmerta sighed before handing Draco the key. "It's two sickles for every hour. I charge extra if you leave a mess."

Draco had barely opened the door before Ginny was on him, shoving his cloak off, and undoing shirt buttons. He slammed the door closed, let the key drop to the floor, and picked her up, a hand under each of her thighs. Her legs secured themselves around his waist and her arms clung to his neck, peppering kisses from his jaw down to his collarbone as he carried her over to the bed.

She dropped down onto the mattress and stared up at him. He threw his shirt onto the chair and kicked off his boots before crawling on top of her. Ginny groaned as his mouth descended onto her neck. Her hands roamed up and down his bare torso, reacquainting herself with the feel of every one of his muscles. She gasped, her nails digging into his back, as he sucked harshly at her skin. And then he did it again. Ginny couldn't help but whimper in pain, arching her body to try and distance her neck from him. "Draco-"

He didn't need for her to say it. He stopped and moved on to snogging her, holding himself up with one arm while the other hand unclasped her cloak before reaching around to caress her back. Ginny arched into his touch, and began slowly moving her hips against his. It felt fantastic. And then suddenly, it stopped. Ginny opened her eyes as she felt him pull away. He was staring at her chest with a furrowed brow, clearly irritated. "How the hell do you get this off?"

"What are you doing?" He was sitting up on his knees, perfectly calm at her question. "It's something I heard about." Ginny's thighs had closed, her confusion making her uncomfortable. Keeping his gaze on her, he started rubbing circles on her thighs. "Gin, trust me." She wasn't too sure about any of this, but seeing how certain he looked gave her enough confidence to open her legs and lie still as his head dipped down again.

Her trepidation was soon forgotten. "Yes! Do that again. Right there. Merlin, you feel so good!" It was a new, strange experience. Ginny found herself much more vocal than she had ever been during sex before. Her body was trying to twist and flail in response to all the sensations he was making her feel, forcing him to hold her thighs to keep her still.

Ginny sighed, sinking into the pillow as her body came down from its high. Draco came up the bed to lie next to her, tracing his fingers lazily over her body. Ginny watched his arm, still a bit embarrassed. He had wiped his face with his forearm, and she could still see her juices glistening on his skin. She felt a niggling guilt over him having done all the work so far, and not having gotten anything in return.

It was time to fix that. While she could easily have stayed lying down, even nodded off, she forced herself up and over so that she had a knee on either side of him. He went to sit up, but she shoved his shoulders back down. His brow furrowed, not quite understanding. But then he sighed and relaxed as Ginny slowly kissed her way down his torso. Glancing up from where she was kissing his abdomen, she saw he had his eyes closed. They popped open as Ginny launched her attack on his neck, intent on leaving her own marks on him.

His arms came around to hold her, no doubt getting ready to roll them over, but Ginny grabbed at his wrists and pinned them to the bed, whispering in his ear. "Your turn isn't over yet. I told you I missed every inch of you, and I did. Now I am going to kiss, lick, and suck every one of those inches, and you are going to lay back and enjoy it. Got it?"

"Got it." And he did. Even when she came to his left forearm, he did no more than flinch before Ginny determinedly kissed around his dark mark, proving to herself she loved him more than she hated the mark. He groaned in anticipation after she had shucked his bottoms off, and was kissing along his inner thighs. But meaning what she had said about kissing all of him, she continued down his legs all the way to his feet. He was nearly at the end of his rope before she finally came back up and paid attention to the last part of him. She fondled his balls, smirking up at his expression, which at this point screamed impatience. It was too much for him. "If that mouth is not on my cock in the next five seconds, I will wrestle you down onto the bed and force feed it to you."

Her hand stilled. She had been just about to go down on him, but his threat had done something to her. She found herself physically throbbing at what he had just described. "Would you?" His eyebrows shot up as he took in her expression, not at all having anticipated this reaction. "Yeah?" Ginny nodded and swallowed, taking her hand off of him, nervous but excited at what she had just asked him to do. They stared at each other, and then Draco sat up and launched himself at her.

He backed off almost immediately when Ginny let out a yell, but as he looked into her eyes, he realized it was fine. That she wanted this. He went back to trying to pin her down, having to use a lot more strength than he had anticipated as she twisted under him and fought back. In the end though, it wasn't really a contest. Draco had his hands wrapped firmly around her upper arms, pinning them to the mattress while he straddled her face. Her legs were still free, and if she had really wanted to, she could have kept fighting. But she didn't. Instead, she found her heart racing as he shoved his cock into her mouth, pounding into her from above. His hips jerked up and down, leaving Ginny helpless in terms of controlling the pace or how much of him to take in at a time. Still, she did her best to suck, and used her tongue to try and draw him in deeper.

Eventually, his hips stilled as he simply let his cock sink deep into her throat. Draco had let go of her arms by this point and Ginny lifted her hand to try and tell him to pull out; that it was too much. But she stopped her hand at the last second, hearing him moan in near ecstasy. A new wave of determination overcame her, and she managed to suppress her gag reflex in favor of working her throat muscles to squeeze him tightly. She wasn't sure if she could do it for much longer. She was breathing heavily through her nose, yet she still felt short of breath. There was a continuous sensation of nearly choking. And then suddenly, he let out a long stream of curse words and jerked his hips one last time. Ginny couldn't help but gasp and cough. As soon as he was off her, Ginny sat up with her head between her knees, taking deep breaths.

"Gin? You okay love?" Ginny's head snapped around to stare at him in shock. Had he actually just called her that? She felt a warm glow as she realized that yes, he had. And why wouldn't he? They were really doing this. A full blown relationship, complete with going on dates and calling each other pet names. There was no more hiding or lying. He really was her boyfriend. Her heart felt close to bursting. "Yeah, fine. That was good, huh?" He smirked and yanked her down to lie on top of him.

His head nuzzled into the space between her shoulder and neck, while his hands roamed her backside. "It wasn't good. It was brilliant. That was the best blowjob you've ever given me, bar none. Any other ideas you wanted to try out?" Ginny honestly wasn't sure. It seemed like there was suddenly a world of possibilities, all mysteriously lurking out of reach. But for now, she didn't want anything other than to cuddle. "Mmm, maybe next time."

"Well of course you have to know the law Ron. You didn't think they'd just have you blasting away did you?" Ron's response was lost on Hermione who had suddenly gone still. Her gaze had drifted past Ron's shoulder and over to the staircase. Walking down the stairs was Ginny. Hermione stared as Ginny looked back over her shoulder, and gave a wide smile to the man descending right behind her. They looked suspiciously flushed and sickenly happy. Oh God. Hermione thought she might be sick.

Ron was still blathering away, and Hermione found herself at a loss. Under no circumstances could she let Ron notice his sister like this. It would be a complete disaster. It would either end with a duel or a fist fight. Why hadn't Ginny seen them yet? Panicked, Hermione watched as Ginny walked obliviously through the pub. There was no way to get her attention. The girl was moon-eyed, clinging to that prat's arm and staring at him like he was her whole world. If Hermione hadn't had ample evidence of Ginny being her normal, fiery self these past weeks, she would have suspected some sort of love potion.

What was even stranger to see though, was Malfoy. He was grinning down at Ginny and if Hermione was honest with herself, he looked very much like he was just as wrapped up in Ginny as Ginny was in him. Still, Malfoy did have a past of being able to act when he wanted to.

"Mione?" Hermione jerked at the sound of her name and stared at Ron blankly. What had he been talking about again? "What are you looking at?" He went to turn around, and unable to think of anything else, Hermione knocked over her mug of butterbeer with a violent jab of her elbow. A good portion of it splashed over Ron, who stood up with a shout. Hermione reached over immediately, apologizing and getting her wand out to dry his robes. In the corner of her eye, she saw the distraction had done its job, and breathed a sigh of relief. Ginny had noticed them and was now cautiously making her way out of the pub, leaving Malfoy alone at the bar.

"It's fine, really. D'you want to order another?" Hermione beamed at Ron, and his cheeks flushed. "What?" Hermione just shook her head. "Nothing." The truth was, it had been very nice indeed to see Ron forgive her so quickly and think only to ask if she wanted another. No comment on her clumsiness or anything.

"Thank you Ron, but I probably need to get going. The last carriages are leaving in about twenty minutes. I should make the rounds and check no one is left behind."

"I'll go with you then." Hermione found a smile impossible to contain as Ron took her hand in his, put the money for their meal on the table, and went to walk her out. It was nearly perfect, but for Ron spotting Malfoy. Ron immediately froze and hissed down at her. "What the bloody hell is that prick doing here?"

Hermione paused, not wanting to lie. Ginny definitely owed her for this. "Actually, I think he might be here for the same reason as you. Heard he's dating a seventh year. Now come on. If you really mean to go round with me, we need to hurry. I really should have started ten minutes ago. This is the first trip of the year after all, and the third years might easily have gotten lost."

"Dating? The girl must be completely daft. What would anyone see in Malfoy?" Hermione could have sworn she saw Malfoy smirk, having overheard Ron's question. He had said it rather loudly. But miraculously, for once in his life, Malfoy seemed content to not cause a scene. He didn't so much as turn around, and Ron let himself be dragged out with nothing but a backwards glare at his old school rival.

A quarter on an hour later, Hermione had finished saying goodbye to Ron, and was making her way to the carriages. She caught sight of a cloak in the nearest side street and was just about to yell get a move on, when she realized who it was. Hermione managed to hold back her disgust, but just barely. "Ginny! The last carriage is ready. Say goodbye and let's go!" Ginny disentangled herself long enough to look back at Hermione and nod, before turning to face Malfoy again. "Good luck at the Ministry with Mulligan. I'll see you at my opening match?"

Hermione stood there, impatient and uncomfortable, as Malfoy muttered his assent. And then just when Hermione was ready to call Ginny's name again, he said something that made Hermione's spine stiffen. "Don't forget. Train with Pucey, drop Runes and Herbology, and for the love of Merlin Gin, buy yourself some new boots." After, they both kissed and exchanged words Hermione made no effort to overhear, having no desire to ride back with a queasy stomach. As soon as Ginny was within reach, Hermione snatched her hand and dragged her to the carriage, completely ignoring Malfoy's sarcastic call of "Nice to see you too Granger!"

The carriage door shut, and Hermione could no longer contain herself. "And what was all that about?"

Ginny stared at her blankly, and then rolled her eyes. "Well Hermione, when a man and a woman love each other, see sometimes they snog."

Hermione snapped. "Not that! I am well aware now of how you lack all physical control around him, thank you. Really Ginny, a pay by the hour room in a pub? No. I'm talking about something far more serious. You letting him order you around. Drop classes? Are you mental?"

Ginny was taken aback for only a moment, and then she was indignant. "Not that you've noticed, but I've been drowning in work ever since the year began. I'm only taking one less NEWT than you, and I can't handle it! Not everyone is as smart as you. He just wants me to be happy. I'm still making my own choices, thank you very much."

Hermione's eyes narrowed. "Oh really? Making your own choices are you? Isn't Pucey that odious Slytherin? Training with him, that was your idea was it? Not Malfoy's?"

Ginny's anger flared. "Oh let me guess. I should listen to you instead? And how would you have me hone my Quidditch skills since you're such an expert on everything?"

"I never said I was an expert on everything! I'm just worried about you. I want you to be making decisions for yourself, never mind him or what he thinks. Just look at today! This can't be what you really want Ginny. To waste your Hogsmeade trip in a ratty room, doing whatever he wants."

Ginny could only stare at Hermione. Was that really what Hermione thought of her? That she was just some weak, stupid girl that was letting herself be used and manipulated? How could she think that? Did Hermione know her at all? All of the times she felt left out and overlooked by her brother and his friends came roaring back. All the times she had been pushed to the side because she was too young, too weak, too vulnerable. She wasn't. She was strong. She had always been strong. They just could never see her that way. See that she was perfectly capable of handling herself. Draco had never tried to use her. He didn't see her as weak.

"The only time I've wasted today is listening to you talk about a relationship you know nothing about. And if you think I would ever let myself be used again after what I went through with Tom, then I have nothing left to say to you." And with that, Ginny conjured a variation of the shield charm, leaving her enveloped in a translucent bubble that blocked sound.

Turning her eyes away from Hermione, she looked at the wall and waited for the carriage to arrive back at Hogwarts so she could make her escape. She was not going to let Hermione ruin today. Today had been the best day she had had in a long time. Ratty room. It had been a perfectly decent room. And if Hermione wanted to join their classmates in calling her a prostitute or whatever, then bully for her. Ginny didn't need Hermione's support. She wasn't going to live her life for anyone but herself.


	20. Quidditch Quarrel

**Chapter 5: Quidditch Quarrel**

"What the hell are you doing! Pass to Dean! Jannice!" The girl was completely ignoring her, weaving past the bludger and right towards the center hoop where their keeper was waiting. If Jannice threw that ball, there was almost zero chance the keeper wouldn't block it. Dean was doing just what he was supposed to and hanging back to the left, but Jannice was completely ignoring him. Ginny watched with disgust as Jannice threw the quaffle towards the left hoop in a poor effort to evade the keeper. Thank Merlin, Gibbons was skilled enough to fly over and intercept the quaffle before it reached the hoop. He was an average keeper at best, but not being able to block that throw would have been utterly pathetic.

Ginny flew over in a rage, her broom hovering so she was face to face with Jannice. "Have you somehow forgotten all our drills? This is a team sport, and if you aren't going to make use of the team, I don't know why you expect us to make use of you! You're benched until you're ready to show you studied the drills."

Jannice rolled her eyes, and gave Ginny a look of pure insolence. "I studied the drills. A troll could have come up with better. I'm not going to embarrass myself on the Pitch this Saturday trying to follow those so called plays of yours." What! Ginny spun her broom around and barked at Gibbons to pass the quaffle. Catching it with ease, Ginny flipped back to face Jannice with narrowed eyes. "Right then. Me against you. Play for possession. Let's just see who has the best chaser instincts."

And with that, the rest of the Gryffindor Quidditch team found themselves spectators as the two girls went at it. It ended with Ginny sweaty and red faced, a wide grin on her face as she claimed victory. All those practices with Pucey had indeed paid off. Considering the argument won, Ginny flew down to the rest of team and began laying out their next drill, but realized no one was paying attention. Instead they were all looking behind her.

Turning her head, she saw the broomstick just in time. Having been flung in order to hit the back of her head, Ginny was forced to duck. Standing back up, she stared at Jannice in shock. The girl had ripped off her gloves, and looked as if she had every intention of throwing them at Ginny as well. "You just have to be the star, don't you? Always the center of attention. Well fine! If you're so much better, I guess you don't need me. I quit!"

Ginny stood there gaping, unable to believe what was happening. Jannice seemed perfectly serious though, and stormed off the Pitch and supposedly off the team for good. After the shock wore off, Ginny quickly felt the panic set in. Jannice couldn't quit! Jannice was her best chaser and they had their first match in three days' time. What the hell had just happened? Ginny had enough presence of mind to shout that practice was over for the day, before dropping her broom on the ground and racing after Jannice.

She caught up with the girl in the Entrance Hall, and grabbed onto her arm. "Wait, Jannice. You can't quit. We need you. Ravenclaw is going to smash us apart without you." Jannice yanked her arm back and scowled. "Good. I hope you do get smashed. And I can do whatever I want. I quit and there is nothing you can do about it."

Ginny was at a complete loss. "But why?" Jannice let out a laugh. "Are you serious? Why do you think?" Ginny only looked at her in bewilderment, and Jannice shook her head in disgust. "That's your problem Ginny. You only think about yourself. A good captain would have never done what you did out there." And with that, Jannice left Ginny alone in the Hall, more confused than anything, but also hurt. What was she supposed to have done? Jannice hadn't been practicing the drills, had been ignoring her teammates, and was giving Ginny attitude. Hadn't it been her job as captain to bring Jannice into line?

She needed advice. To talk to someone. Hermione and Luna would both happily let her talk, but this was about Quidditch. Neither girl would be able to give her any advice. Dean. He had been there, seen the whole thing. Surely he would be able to tell her what had gone wrong. Walking back to the Pitch somewhat dejectedly, she found her team had cleared out. All except Dean, who was sitting on the stands with her broom in hand, waiting for her.

Ginny met his gaze and let out a large sigh. "So, she's really quit. Absolutely raging at me too. What did I do wrong?" Dean waited until she had gotten herself seated beside him, and then handed her broom back. "Blimey Gin, it's obvious isn't it? You embarrassed her. She was captain last year, yeah? Being demoted from captain back to just a regular player must have been hard enough, but to then have you show her up like that? You're not even a chaser, you're the seeker. Makes it doubly embarrassing, doesn't it?"

Ginny pouted. "Well what was I supposed to do then? Just ignore her attitude and pretend not to notice her flaunting my orders?" Dean shrugged. "I dunno. I mean, you could have been nicer." Ginny frowned. Nicer? What did that mean? She should have said please? "Maybe not shouted so much. It is a bit much to see you yelling at everyone like that sometimes." Ginny really was trying to take Dean's advice to heart. But what he was saying, it just didn't make sense. She was a Quidditch Captain! How did Dean expect her to be effective if she couldn't shout?

"Don't worry Gin. Everyone knows you're still trying to figure out all this captain stuff. Could be that it's just Pucey rubbing off on you. Maye if you stopped scrimmaging him, maybe then people would like you better." Ginny was tense, irritated beyond words, but she forced a smile, determined to not lose it. "Thanks Dean. Really. You did a bang up job at practice today. Nice work. I'm sure you'll be great on Saturday." Dean grinned and nodded at her, completely oblivious. Ginny continued to sit there as she watched Dean walk away, trying to get her thoughts in order. She couldn't help but think Dean was being a bit thick. But what if he was right, and it really was her who was wrong? What if she did need to be nicer? Did her other teammates really think she yelled too much?

Two days later found Ginny clenching her lips together in a forced smile, as she watched Colton Fischer fly up and down the Pitch. Emergency try outs were being held, and sadly, Colton was still the best alternative. Keeping Dean's words in mind, she had been trying very hard to remain upbeat and positive for the last hour. She had managed to simply say "That's okay! Try again. You're doing great." When really all she had wanted to do was scream at them for their utter incompetence. Tomorrow was going to be a disaster.

"Alright! Thank you everyone. After seeing all of your wonderful talent, I have to say the future of our Quidditch team looks bright! I'm sure many of you will make the team in the next few years. For tomorrow though, Colton can you play chaser?" Naturally, he couldn't agree fast enough, and Ginny forced herself to look genuinely thankful. She spent the rest of the night with a ball of dread in her stomach.

It was in the Great Hall that Hermione finally seemed to notice something was amiss. "Ginny, aren't you going to eat anything?" Ginny stared down at her plate, and pushed her green beans around with her fork. "Not hungry." Hermione scrutinized her, and then gasped. "Oh Ginny! Are you really going to take my advice? Is that what this is about?" Ginny's head snapped up and glared at Hermione.

"No. I am not telling Draco that my focus needs to be on NEWTS and I have no time for a boyfriend." Hermione sniffed and raised her chin upwards. "Well I don't see why not. It's not like you can see him much anyhow. And taking a break from dating would be good for you. You haven't been single for more than a couple months since you were thirteen." Ginny focused on stabbing a piece of chicken.

As much as she was thrilled at the thought of seeing Draco tomorrow, she was also nervous. He was going to be there to watch the train wreck the team had become under her captainship. She could imagine it now. How appalled he would be to watch her chasers scrambling across the pitch, looking as organized and planned as a nest of billywigs. She wanted him to be proud of her, but all she could envision was disappointing him. Of him being embarrassed for her. Would he even want to be seen with her after their terrible performance? Or would he try and preserve his own pride by pretending not to know her? She wouldn't blame him.

There was almost no chance of him not coming. She had just gotten his last letter this morning, a letter which had specifically mentioned how much he was looking forward to seeing her match tomorrow. Why did he have to be supportive? Couldn't he have just said he had no interest in school games now that he was free to attend all the professional games he wanted? "Well just remember there are rules in place about where visitors can go on game days. If he so much as steps foot in our room, I am reporting him immediately." Ginny had to resist the urge to kick Hermione under the table. "Yes, fine. I know." And she did. As much as she might want to, she had no plans to sneak Draco into her bed. It wouldn't really be fair to any of her dorm mates. What Hermione hadn't thought of, and what Ginny had no intention of telling her, was that Draco and her had a long list of empty classrooms that they had fucked in and would have no problem using again.

"Harry and Ron mentioned coming too, a chance to see Hogwarts renovated and all, but they have Auror training all morning. Apparently some sort of course in tracking. Ron wanted to ditch and come anyways, but of course I told him not to be an idiot. He's already falling behind from what I've been able to tell. The last thing he needs is to skip class." Ginny hummed, and took a bite of corn. "Mione, do you think being an Auror's really the best thing for Ron? I mean, aren't you supposed to be able to keep your temper? To be clever and sneaky and logical?"

Hermione reluctantly nodded, and began cutting up her chicken. "I know. I can't help but think he went into it just because Harry did." Hermione continued to talk through all the things that worried her. How Ron had never had a mind for memorizing laws, and tended to act before thinking. How it was a career that no matter how hard he tried, he would always be in Harry's shadow. How the program expected people to have a NEWT in Potions, and Ron had nearly no grasp of Potions.

Ginny sympathized, and found herself helping Hermione brainstorm ways to help her brother. By the end of dinner, the two girls had managed to fill a parchment with ideas, some a bit more realistic than others, but all full of good intentions. They walked back up to the dorm together, and played a game of Wizarding Chess before heading to bed. While not nearly the opponent Ron was, Ginny was good enough that she found herself trying to give Hermione pointers as they played. The girl was dead set at improving enough that she would be able to hold her own against Ron by the end of the year. It was a rather ambitious goal. And also rather sweet.

As annoying as Hermione could be, Ginny knew that Ron was lucky to have her. That Hermione really loved him, and was just who he needed to keep him grounded. And maybe because of that, Ginny had found herself unable to stay mad at the girl. No matter how offensive Hermione came off as, Ginny knew that she only meant to help. Her grudge against Hermione after Hogsmeade had lasted all of a day, before Ginny found herself partnering with Hermione for Potions.

As further proof of their friendship, the next morning Hermione donned her Gryffindor scarf and promised to be in the stands, cheering her on, despite having zero interest in Quidditch herself. Ginny gave her a hug, and promised to try and make the game as short as possible. Really, it was the only strategy she had. The less damage that could be done with the quaffle, the better. Ideally, Ginny would spot and snatch the snitch before the crowd could figure out how miserably her chasers were flying. The last thing she needed was for Pucey to spot her team's weakness and start planning on how to monopolize on it for their upcoming match.

Ginny spotted Jannice at breakfast, and had to force herself to keep walking past. The girl was wearing a blue sweater. Not a blatant enough statement that Ginny could accuse her of rooting for Ravenclaw, but both girls knew that's what it meant.

She forced down half a bowl of oatmeal and some eggs as she waited for the rest of her team to arrive. Once they were seated, Ginny pulled out her playbook and reviewed with her team, reminding them that the Ravenclaw beaters were known to play dirty, and that their keeper favored the right hoop.

Walking out onto the Pitch, Ginny couldn't do anything but stare straight ahead, her nerves going haywire. Whatever happened today, it was going to reflect on her ability as captain. She didn't so much as glance at the stands, knowing that seeing the crowd would only make her more nervous.

The game was a mess. Ten minutes in, in a move that was nothing short of disastrous, Tiberius was double teamed by the Ravenclaw beaters. While he was busy whacking one bludger away, the other slammed into his back, knocking him off of his broom. Madame Hooch's cushioning charm saved him from serious injury, but none the less, he spent the rest of the game woozy and nearly useless as a beater.

With only Rhydian to protect them, Colton darted around the Pitch in fear, forgetting everything she had told him in favor of avoiding bludgers. Dean was trying his best to fly the patterns they had practiced, but with only Liam to work with, the plays were falling flat. Ravenclaw was up 80-30. Ginny was doing her best to yell at Dean and Liam to forget her plays, to change strategy, but that just left them even more confused. And while she was busy yelling, the crowd suddenly began roaring.

Panicked, Ginny searched the air frantically, only to see the Ravenclaw seeker narrowing in on the snitch. She immediately took off, determined to do her best to get there in time, but it was useless. The Ravenclaw seeker won his team the match, and Ginny was left hovering in the air, dangerously numb. They had lost. Not only had they lost; they had looked like a mess out there. Stoically, Ginny flew down and walked directly to the changing rooms. Alone, she dropped her broom on the floor, and then pounded her fists on the walls. Eventually, her screams of rage and frustration turned into tears of misery. She had failed. She wasn't a good captain, and she didn't know how to fix it.

"Mr. Malfoy! Come back this instant! Visitors are not allowed in the changing rooms!"

"Just hold on Professor! Gin, come out right now." Ginny stared at the wall and wiped her eyes.

"Go away Draco!" She just wanted to be alone. She wanted to stand in the showers and have a nice, long, cry. There were no girl players on the Ravenclaw team, so she would have the entire place to herself.

She heard him mutter something from outside. She knew the only thing holding him back from simply walking in was the crowd. That if he barged into the girls' changing room in front of professors and parents, McGonagall would be forced to take action against him.

Suddenly, a flurry of gravel came in through the door and began pelting her. Ginny shrieked, protecting her face with her arms, as the small rocks formed an unrelenting funnel around her. "Alright, fine! I'm coming out!" Running back out into the sun, she waited for things to go still and quiet before lowering her arms. As soon as she could see him, she hit him. He clutched his stomach and grunted. She felt zero sympathy. "You absolute tosser! You knew I didn't have my wand with me! That wasn't fair!"

He straightened up and glared at her. "You know what else isn't fair? Hiding in the changing rooms, expecting me to just stand out here for who bloody knows how long, while you throw yourself a pity party."

Ginny couldn't believe what she was hearing. What she was seeing. He had no sympathy for her. Was making no effort to make her feel better. "You arse! Weren't you watching the game? I have every right to self pity! That was the most pathetic Quidditch game in the history of Hogwarts and it was all my fault!"

He cocked an eyebrow. "Oh? Sorry, must have missed you hurling both bludgers into that beater of yours. And was it you that stuffed cotton into those chasers' ears? Or maybe it was you who gave that small idiot a deathly fear of being hit, begging the question of why he ever decided to join a Quidditch team in the first place."

Ginny could only gape at him. Draco rolled his eyes. "The only thing you're responsible for out there as seeker, is catching the snitch. You didn't catch it, which I know feels like shit, but it happens Gin. Do you know how many times I lost to Potter? You have to just get back on the broom and keep flying."

"But, but I'm captain. That means that everyone else is my responsibility and…" She was near tears again.

"Alright, okay. Sit down and we'll talk it through." Ginny nodded and made her way over to the benches by the sidelines of the Pitch. The crowd was still dispersing, but people seemed to know to give her space. To not call out or try and get too close. Draco sat down next to her, and threw his arm around her shoulders. She leaned into him, and closed her eyes for a bit. He switched over to rubbing circles on her back, and her breathing deepened as her emotions settled. Finally feeling calm, she opened her eyes and straightened back up.

"Right, well, I suppose this all started when Jannice decided to quit three days ago." She could feel the surprised jerk Draco gave, and had to smile. "She what?"

Ginny found she actually relished telling him the story in its entirety, knowing that he would have an opinion and that she was perfectly free to air her opinions about it unfiltered. After he heard everything, he sat in silence for a while, Ginny watching him anxiously.

"Do you really want the captainship?" Ginny nodded, and Draco bit his lip, thinking it over. "Right then. Here's my take. She was out of line, you did what you had to do, she's gone. The day you let her back on the team is the day you've lost control over everyone else. Ignore Thomas, every captain in the history of Quidditch yells at their team. He's probably just hung up on you being a girl and younger than him. Next, switch Fischer to seeker. You'll lose a few games at first, but he's flighty and might actually learn to do well with it with some practice. More importantly, you need to be a chaser. Not only will it let scouts see you flying your best come spring, but you'll be able to manage the team better during games."

Ginny couldn't help but be impressed. He saw her expression, and squeezed her knee. "Better?" She put her hand over his, and squeezed back. "Much."

Officially, visitors were to head home directly from the Pitch after a game. Unofficially, it was not uncommon for family and friends to linger and chat, or even have a picnic around the Lake. The only rule Dumbledore, and now McGonagall, enforced was that guests were to remain outside of student areas, and be gone by supper time. The Great Hall, common rooms, even the library were strictly off limits.

Which was perfectly fine with them, as they hurried through the halls and into an empty classroom. "Well this brings back memories." Ginny grinned and looped her arms around his neck. "Yes it does. Now let's make new ones."

"Fuck Gin, I'm going to cum." Ginny could only nod breathlessly, tightening her legs around him while he suddenly went rigid before collapsing on top of her. They were both naked, lying on Draco's cloak that had been reinforced with a cushioning charm. If Hermione had thought the room at the Three Broomsticks was ratty, Ginny could only guess at what Hermione would think of this. The thought made her grin.

For a while, they both continued to simply lie there, weary from all they had done in the last hour. By the time Draco pulled himself up, they were both cold and a little stiff. Ginny saw him getting up to reach for his trousers, and yanked him back down. "Oh no, not yet. Here, pass me my shirt." Still wandless having come right from Quidditch, she used Draco's wand to enlarge her shirt to ten times its original size, and then set a heating charm on it. He watched her the entire time, his face strangely blank. Settling back down next to her, he watched her as she snuggled into him and threw her creation over them.

"Have you ever done that before? Used someone else's wand?" Ginny tensed for a moment, before snuggling more deeply into his chest and closing her eyes. "My mum's. Other than that, of course not." They were both fully aware of the implications. Using another witch or wizard's wand was either the gravest insult, or a sign of total trust and love. Ginny was rather sure Draco would know which way she had meant it.

"Gin, I know I should have asked that day in Hogsmeade, but you still have Sprout's potion, don't you?" Ginny flushed red, and continued to keep her face buried in his chest. She knew this was a conversation they needed to have. That the decisions she had been making would affect the rest of their lives. Keeping this type of information from him was incredibly unfair. Still, she had been happy to avoid it.

"It's still here. I mean, probably. Tucked away with everything else in that cell of a bedroom somewhere. I don't know. It's not like I packed it for the Easter holidays. What would have been the point?" Draco gently shoved her off of him, his hands on her shoulders so that she had no choice but to look at him. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

Ginny's stomach clenched, unable to predict how he would react. "Yes." Letting go of her, he rolled over to stare at the ceiling and take a deep breath. She could tell from his clenched jaw that he was trying hard not to yell. Not to explode. So, he was angry then. She supposed that was fair. When he spoke, it was terse. "You're of age now you know. You could have owl ordered it if you needed a new vial." She wrapped her arms around herself. "I know."

He must have heard something in her voice. His eyes darted over back to her, and his expression softened. She looked back at him, and sighed in relief as his arm reached over. Happily, she readjusted so that his arm was cradling her body to his. Leaning in, he kissed her softly. "Is this really what you want? To keep trying?"

Ginny didn't know why it was so hard to talk about. She trusted him, she did. It wasn't that she was afraid. But she barely understood it herself. Trying to articulate how she felt, she didn't know if she was going to be able to explain it. "Back in March, for that last week, I really thought I might be pregnant. Something just felt, different. I don't know. I could have just been fooling myself. But I was so excited, so happy, thinking it might have happened. And then during Easter holidays, when we were on the run, I thought I had lost you. Lost any chance of a future with you. I thought I had to give you up, leading the life of a wanted criminal. The only silver lining? I thought I'd always have a piece of you. Your baby."

He reached over to brush a tear from her cheek, and Ginny swallowed before continuing. She shouldn't be this emotional. It had been months ago, and it didn't really matter. It had all been one big mistake. "I was so sure. I began counting the days, just getting more and more excited as it seemed my monthly wouldn't happen. And then… I still don't understand. It was an entire five days later than normal. It had never done that before. But it crushed me. My family had no idea why I was such a mess. I told them that I was just overwhelmed with having to live in hiding, with having to hear what Hogwarts was turning into, with worry about how we would survive this. But really, I was grieving. How stupid is that? I was grieving a baby that had never even existed."

Draco didn't say anything. He just held her more tightly and let her continue talking. "When I heard you had been released, I did think about it. About getting the potion. But it just, it felt wrong. I think something in me changed last spring, and I don't know how to change it back. Logically, I know it makes no sense to want a baby now. And a part of me is fine with that, at least I think so. But going out and actively buying and ingesting something that would kill any chance of it happening, I just, I don't want to."

He kissed her again. And again. It was incredibly gentle, his lips barely pressing against hers. It was she who deepened it, needing to feel him and bask in the security that he still loved her. She crawled on top of him and shoved her tongue in, turning it into a full blown snogging session. His hands kneaded her naked body and she pressed down, rubbing herself against him, feeling his cock come to life underneath her.

He pulled back from their kissing, and stared into her eyes. "I love you, and have every intention of being your husband and father to your children. Whatever timeline you want Gin, we'll figure it out." She gave him a wide smile, her entire body bursting with happiness. "Thank you." He rolled them over so she was beneath him, and held her wrists down. "No. Thank you. Now, you ready to be ravaged for a third time today?" Ginny moaned, and spread her thighs wider, welcoming him back into her body, already anticipating another round of pleasure.

"Oh Ginny, you are positively luminescent! Did you and Draco find a nest of wigglewums on your date today?" Ginny worked very hard to hold back a laugh as Hermione's head snapped up at Luna's voice. They were in the library, Hermione having dragged her here after supper to work on Transfiguration together.

Honestly, Ginny appreciated the distraction. She was getting nothing done. Her mind was still on earlier, and her body wanted nothing more than to rest. In fact, she had been seriously thinking about ditching Hermione for her mattress. She and Draco had never gone that many rounds before in so short a time, and her body seemed to be punishing her for it. She was pretty sure she had actually torn something down there. Or rather, Draco had torn something down there while thrusting into her. Their last session had been particularly rough, but even if something had torn, she wouldn't trade it for the world. He had felt so damn good. "I don't know Luna. It's possible. It certainly was quite the date."

Ginny returned Luna's smile, and purposefully avoided looking over at Hermione. She knew perfectly well how much Hermione would like hearing even a small reminder of her relationship with Draco. Luna's gaze drifted over to Hermione and she tilted her head to the side, visibly concerned. "I think you ought to show Hermione the nest Ginny. She looks like she could use with a bit of cheering up."

Hermione's book slammed closed. "Thank you Luna, but I believe I'll forgo the wiggleworms."

"Wigglewums actually." Ginny's entire body shook with contained laughter as she watched Hermione struggle through what to say. Working to suppress all her incredulity and annoyance, Hermione finally managed a terse "Right. Of course. Did you need something Luna?"

Much to Ginny's surprise, Luna actually nodded and took a seat next to them. "I actually need a favor. See, daddy's been having a hard time these past months. You've probably noticed; _The Quibbler_ hasn't had any new issues." Hermione and Ginny shared a look, and unanimously agreed to lie.

"Oh of course we've noticed. Been an absolute disappointment, not getting a new issue every month. I was just mentioning the other day, wasn't I Hermione? About not knowing what creatures to look out for that may have invaded Britain this summer." Hermione nodded vigorously. "Oh yes. Quite the disappointment. What can we do to help?"

Luna looked over to Ginny, and looked uncharacteristically serious. "Well daddy seems most interested on investigating what creatures cluster around where a lot of dark magic took place." Ginny frowned in confusion, as did Hermione. "Do you mean he would want to do research around Hogwarts?"

Luna fiddled with her bag strap. "Well, yes probably, but I don't think the Headmistress would allow it. I suppose I was thinking more of him being allowed around a private residence? Perhaps where a lot of death eater meetings took place and people were kept in cellars?"

Ginny's face blanched. "Oh Luna. Does he really…wouldn't that be so hard for him?" Luna shrugged. "I think he might need the closure. That somehow it will help him move on. I don't know. But if you could talk to Draco..." Ginny put her hand on Luna's and squeezed. "Luna, you don't need to ask me. Write to him. I know he feels terribly about what happened to you."

Luna gave a small smile, and then stayed to talk to them about the latest animal Hagrid had introduced to them in Care of Magical Creatures before heading out. Ginny turned back to her work, only to find Hermione looking reprovingly at her. "What?"

"It's just, how could you raise Luna's hopes like that? As if the Malfoys would ever let her father go traipsing through their Manor." Ginny looked at Hermione in confusion, and then sighed in exasperation. "Honestly. Do you really think they cared to have prisoners in their cellar? No. If they don't want her father in their Manor, they'll at least come up with a polite way of declining. But I think they will let him. Not to have free reign maybe. He might be shadowed by their house elf or escorted around by one of them personally, but they'll realize how little harm there is in it."

"I think you're deluding yourself. Trying to turn them into better people than they are."

"Well I think you have a grudge that you can't let go of." The two girls sat there staring at each other, and then Ginny sighed. "I'm headed to bed. Finish Transfiguration tomorrow?" Hermione looked down at their incomplete essays and nodded. "Sure."

Going to bed that night, Ginny found herself thinking not about schoolwork or Quidditch, but about what Draco had said earlier. He was planning on marrying her. She had known that of course. They had already talked about a future together. Only months ago, Ginny had been sure she would be a wife and expectant mother by now. But somehow hearing him say that now, now when there was no threat of danger. It was different. Better. He wanted her. Not as a way to escape living in a house a Dark Lord visited. Not as a way to distance himself from having to kill and torture. Not even as a way to protect her from danger. He just wanted her, for her. She went to sleep dreaming of their wedding, a smile stretched across her face.


	21. Adulthood

**Chapter 6: Adulthood **

Ginny had barely sat down to breakfast, before she was assaulted by a newspaper flying at her face. "And just what is this all about?" Ginny frowned and swatted the paper away. "Hermione, I haven't even eaten breakfast yet. You'll need to slow down. What are you talking about?"

Hermione slammed the paper down, and pointed accusingly at page 3. Taking her time, Ginny sat down and began slowly reading the article. She could sense Hermione's impatience from across the table, but purposefully ignored it. The article was about the new program where all registered werewolves would be provided with wolfsbane potion at cost, or even free if they proved unable to pay. The hope was that with access to the potion, werewolves would be able to live more normal lives, and the public would no longer fear them as much.

Ginny chugged a goblet of juice, and then finally looked up to speak. Hermione was on pins and needles. "I'm surprised at you Hermione. I thought you would know Harry would contribute to something like this."

Completely taken aback, Hermione could only manage a one word answer. "What?" Ginny worked to suppress her smile. "That's what this is about right? The list of donors to this program? See, right here. Harry Potter- in remembrance of Remus Lupin."

Hermione looked ready to throttle her. "No! This isn't about Harry! This is about your prat of a boyfriend standing right there in the photo, right next to Rasmus Jensen! Do you even know who he is? I would give my left arm to be able to brew with him."

Feigning ignorance, Ginny forced her expression to morph into confusion. "Draco? Of course I know who he is Hermione. And if you really want to brew with him that badly, I'm sure I could convince him. No need for amputation." Hermione looked as if she was about to scream, and Ginny could no longer contain herself. Her expression broke, and she was laughing gleefully in her seat. Hermione could only glare.

Getting control of herself, Ginny finally decided to end Hermione's torment. "Alright, alright. I'm finished. Yes, you're right. That's Draco in the photo. He's been working as an ambassador for the Department of International Magical Trading Standards or some such rubbish name. I don't know. It was only a temporary thing. This Rasmus person, he has a nephew who Draco met at some garden party last month. They apparently bonded, enough so that they crashed a festival together. There was some band there, and when the band was going to play in his hometown of...I forget, someplace in Denmark, he invited Draco along."

Hermione looked completely confounded. Ginny wondered what it said about her, that Hermione's expression only made her want to laugh even more. "But what does any of this have to do with him standing next to Rasmus Jensen?"

"Well, he met him that night, didn't he? They had to sleep somewhere, so they headed to his uncle's house. The next morning Draco just sort of ended up staying, poking around the potions lab. He didn't really tell me everything. But the main point is somehow, Draco got Rasmus to like him. The British Ministry had been trying to pressure Rasmus into selling them wolfsbane for next to nothing, and he was ready to poison the next Ministry official that bothered him about it. Draco sort of jumped in then. Talked to the Ministry. And within a week, Draco was a Ministry ambassador, but really he was just loafing around in Denmark as far as I can tell."

"But that doesn't make any sense at all!" Ginny shrugged. She understood Hermione's point. From what Draco had told her, it seemed the Ministry had paid him to do nothing but go out and drink with this Rasmus Jensen. But somehow it had worked. Draco had convinced Rasmus to provide the Wolfsbane, and the Ministry was suddenly quite interested in what else Draco might be able to do.

"I need to speak with him." Ginny could only stare, sure she had misunderstood. "I'm sorry. Speak with who?"

"Malfoy. I need to hear it from him. Have him explain how going to some festival suddenly qualifies him to be an ambassador and acquaintance with a world renowned brewer." In theory, Ginny had been hoping this day would come. When Hermione would be willing to speak to Draco. Now that it was happening though, all Ginny felt was anxiousness. This was not a good idea. It would not be a pleasant conversation.

"He's meeting you in Hogsmeade this Saturday, isn't he? We can talk then." Frantically, Ginny tried to come up with some excuse, but she had nothing. "Well come on Ginny! Finish eating already. Charms starts in ten minutes. If you started getting out of bed when I do, your mornings would become a lot easier you know."

Four days later found Ginny clutching the bench of their carriage, stiff with nerves. She hadn't warned Draco of Hermione's plans, and she was really beginning to regret it. She had thought about it of course, but ultimately hadn't. A part of her had been a bit worried he would refuse to come if he knew. Come up with some excuse as to why he was no longer available, and she would see him next month instead.

Hermione on the other hand, seemed perfectly at ease. Excited even. She would warn Hermione to try and keep a civil tongue. To remind her to let Draco talk without interruption if she really wanted to know about his latest job. But she knew it would be a waste. Hermione would only act affronted that Ginny could ever think she wouldn't be civil, and then end up interrogating Draco anyhow.

The carriage came to a stop, and Ginny took a deep breath before opening the door and exiting. She spotted Draco chatting to some girl Ginny vaguely recognized as a fifth year, a girl she was rather sure Draco had never spoken to before in his life. Ginny didn't like to think that she was a jealous or paranoid person. But this was certainly curious. Standing directly in his line of sight, Ginny waited impatiently for him to look up and notice her. It didn't take him long. He looked up, made eye contact, quirked an eyebrow at her, and then went right back to his conversation.

Ginny couldn't believe it. What was he talking about that could be so important? They hadn't seen each other since Halloween three weeks ago, and now he was just ignoring her? Before she could decide if she should be indignant or not, he caught her gaze again, eyes wide, and jerked his head to the side before looking back down at the girl. Oh. He wanted her to come over to him.

Hearing Hermione close the carriage door, she spun around and made a quick decision. "'Mione, I promise you can talk to him all you want, but not right now. I think something serious is going on." Hermione looked over to where Draco was now the one talking, looking worried and helpless as he did so, and frowned. "Fine, yes. I'll wait here. Isn't that Regan Bulstrode? Caught her out after curfew two weeks ago. Ravenclaw. How does she know Malfoy?"

Ginny's body tensed, dread pooling in her stomach. "Bulstrode? You sure?" Hermione nodded, puzzled at Ginny's reaction, but she didn't have time to ask before Ginny was walking away at a quick clip.

"…I'm really not who she needs to talk to." Ginny walked up to the conversation just in time to see Regan's hands fist, her face an already unflattering shade of red. "And I'm telling you, you are! You don't have to be her shoulder to cry on you stubborn arse. Just talk things through with her! She needs someone who knew him! Who cared about him!"

He worked his jaw soundlessly, apparently at a loss, and then shifted his gaze to Ginny. Ginny frowned. She stood there, plastering on a smile as he used her as an out, introducing the girls to each other. She was not going to be his bloody distraction. Obviously, this was an issue he needed to deal with and didn't want to. Well, she was going to force him. "Regan, so nice to meet you. Any relation to Millicent by chance?" Regan flicked her eyes in Draco's direction quickly, before turning to Ginny fully. "Cousin. Actually, we were just talking about her. She's been staying with my parents for the past few months. You might have heard. Kicked out by her father this past July. Tried to burn her off the tapestry he did, but of course my dad wouldn't put up with it. Told my uncle he was being an idiot and took off with the tapestry and Millicent until he comes to his senses."

To say Ginny was shocked was an understatement. She could see Draco out of the corner of her eye, stiff and unresponsive. Git. "Well good on your dad. Is she doing okay then?"

There was a sudden unspoken understanding that seemed to pass between the two girls, and an invisible bond snapped into place. "Well enough. My aunt is actually more a mess than her, sneaking in to see Millie when my uncle's off at work. He'll come around eventually I'm sure. Will have to I think, or he's going to end up losing everyone else in the process. Of course, she could really use some support from her friends. Feels a bit alone in all this, Daphne aside of course."

Regan had put a deep emphasis on the word friends, and tilted her head towards Draco. Ginny more than got the point. "Of course. We'd both be happy to talk to her. Wouldn't we darling?" Draco's eyes narrowed into slits as Ginny stared him down. "Ginny." It was terse and full of controlled anger, but both girls pretended not to notice. "Fantastic. Any time before January would be brilliant. The baby's due sometime then." Ginny felt the ground fall out underneath her as the pieces all clicked together. Outwardly, she only blinked.

"Is she here by chance?" Regan frowned. "Here? No of course not. She's probably at home right now. That or shopping for baby things. My mum's gone a bit crazy with it, taking her to any and every store baby related. We haven't had a baby in our family since me, you see." Ginny did see. Her father aside, Millicent seemed to have plenty of family support. But she had one guess who the father of this baby had been, and she knew exactly why Millicent would want to talk to Draco. Hogsmeade could wait.

"Is your floo at home open to visitors?" Regan's head tilted, and a grin stretched across her face. "No, not without these at least." Ginny waited as Regan dug in her pockets, pulling out small gold keys. Ginny's eyes shone. Perfect. "Just call out Newcombe Nest. It's my mum's family home you see. If Millie's there, she'll probably be in the study." Ginny thanked her, took the keys, and then grabbed Draco's hand.

He walked behind her reluctantly, his body nearly keeping her from going forward. But Ginny was stubborn, and she dragged him all the way over to Hermione. "Change of plans. We have to go visit a friend." Hermione took in the scene before her, and choose wisely not to comment. Draco didn't though. He perked up, and very genuinely said "Plans? No, don't be silly. We can always go another day. How could you even think of ditching Granger? So, what are we doing then?" Both girls looked at him in shock.

He continued on, speaking quickly. "We could head to Dervish and Banges, heard they came out with a new ink. Spelled to change colors. Bit of a useless trick for writing I suppose but the potential for drawing is quite interesting. Or we could go to Gladrags, still haven't gotten new boots I see. Suppose I could do with a new scarf myself. Would seem a bit odd to go round this winter with the school one after all. Maybe a dark green though. Something to show a bit of alum pride."

Hermione, unable to take any more, took her wand out and cast a silencio. Ginny could feel Draco tense up indignantly, his hand reaching for his own wand, and she grabbed his wrist tightly to stop him. "We'll try to be back before evening. Meet up in the Three Broomsticks at 3? If we're not there…" Hermione waved her hand impatiently. "Yes, fine. Just, go do what you have to do. And Ginny. Are you sure he's alright?"

Both witches stared at Draco, who looked a mix of panic and anger, and Ginny shrugged. "Suppose so. See you later." Hermione ended her spell before walking off, but even then Draco remained silent. He walked quietly to the Three Broomsticks with her, no longer shuffling his feet, but when they reached the fireplace, he froze.

Ginny's brow furrowed, and she kissed him. He didn't kiss back. "Draco, it will be fine." He shook his head, and gulped in a way that made Ginny realize he was near tears. "I can't face her. It's my fault Vince died. If I hadn't tried to go after Potter…." And suddenly all of his strange behavior made sense. "Draco I'm sure she doesn't blame you."

"Well she bloody well should!" His shout had carried through the pub. Ginny felt the awkward stares immediately, but Draco was oblivious. Was he really this worried about Millicent being mad at him? Why? Shouldn't she have been happy at Crabbe's death? If anyone had cause to celebrate his demise, Ginny would have thought it would have been her.

"He was a complete lunkhead you know. Only did what he thought he was supposed to. He didn't get subtlety or the concept of pretending. He really thought everyone around him bought into the Dark Lord's bull. That being cruel and nasty was the right thing to do." Ginny held his hand, standing patiently, as Draco continued to talk.

"Everything was so simple for him. I know you think he was a bad person. And in a way he was. He wanted something, he took it, damn the consequences. But he could never really understand that people were using him. People would make fun of him. They'd send him to do something. And he'd be happy to do it, never realizing that the person was snickering the whole time at how thick he was for doing their dirty work. I used to do it too. I'd just use him, never really caring what happened to him. Do you know why he turned against me last year? Because I stopped. I stopped getting him to do things for me. It should have been a good thing, but he only saw it as me abandoning him."

As he was talking, tears were forming in the corner of his eye, his voice cracking on the last sentence. Ginny realized in that moment something she hadn't all of last year. Draco hadn't liked what Crabbe had been doing. Didn't approve of how he had been hurting Millicent. But he had also still considered Crabbe a friend. Had been upset about not being about to help Crabbe realize he was being used by Voldermort. She felt a bit like an idiot. These Slytherins that she could care less about; he did care about them. Crabbe and Goyle had been by his side for seven years. Whatever their issues, it didn't matter. They had stuck with him through everything, even agreeing to polyjuice into little girls that year he had practically lived in the Room of Requirement.

"Draco you can't change the past. But you also can't run from it. Have you even visited Goyle since being released?" Draco ran his hand through his hair, and seemed to be trying to collect himself. "Yeah, I have. A few times. Talked him through some career options. Helped him get an interview as a caretaker in St Mungos actually. Mind damage ward. Some of the patients can be a bit aggressive, and the staff seemed happy to have a man of Greg's size around." Ginny didn't know why she should be so surprised, but she was. He had done all that for Goyle?

"Draco, I know you can do this. I'll be right by your side. If you don't go now, you'll only build it up in your mind more." He nodded, and she quietly passed him one of the two keys. Clutching it, he grabbed the floo powder, and shouted out Newcombe Nest. Ginny followed right behind him, gasping as she took in the room she was in. Every wall was curved. Knickknacks and photos perched on shelves that jutted out, and furniture sat in the middle of the room, no corners for them to be smushed into. The room was huge. In the middle was a spiral staircase, leading up to a landing that circled around the whole room. There were twelve doors off of the landing, reminding Ginny a bit of a clock.

Draco smirked over at her. "Impressive isn't it? I used to race around that landing for hours on my junior broom. Not with Regan of course. Her brothers. Liam was two years older than me and Jasper was three. Both moved out now, I suspect. Haven't seen them in ages. Come on then. Study's this way."

Ginny couldn't help but feel very strange walking through what was practically a stranger's home. That Draco had been here before as a kid and knew his way around was the only comforting part. At least if Regan's parents saw them, there was a chance they wouldn't immediately be hexed. Speaking of. "Draco Malfoy? Is that you?"

"Mr. Bulstrode, pleasure." The man let the door swing shut behind him and looked down on where the two of them were standing halfway up the stairs. "How the hell did you get in? Don't tell me the floo security wards are fritzing again. Do you know we had to haul in Buckley just last week to recast them? Course with all that mess behind us, security's not so much an issue anymore."

Draco held up the golden key so the man could see it, and the wizard grunted. "Right then. Regan following behind is she? And who are you?" Ginny felt her cheeks flush red.

"Erm, Ginny Weasley sir. Sorry for bursting in like this. See, we're friends of Millicent and just thought we'd see if she would be available to chat." Mr. Bulstrode eyed her for a minute, and then nodded.

"Weasely, eh? That brother of yours come back to the Ministry yet? You know, the one that was Fudge's assistant? Bit of a dull one he was, but hell of an organizer. Haven't seen so clean an office in all my years there. Kingsley could use him. Man keeps losing all my letters if he can be believed."

Ginny felt a tension leave her that she didn't know she had, and yelled up to him with a smile. "A few weeks ago sir. Believe he's back with International Magical Cooperation now. It's where he started out you know."

She had to fight back a giggle as Mr. Bulstrode blustered. "With those damn diplomats? Waste of talent that is. Could care bloody less about that department loosing track of a few letters. As if there was any international cooperation when we needed it the most!"

Draco nudged her side and the two shared a look of amusement. It was obvious that if allowed, Mr. Bulstrode would have no problem carrying on a shouted conversation all morning. "Millicent home then?" At the reminder, Mr. Bulstrode told them to feel free to go right into the study, and then bellowed for a house elf that was then instructed to bring them tea.

Entering the study, Ginny couldn't help but gasp. Millicent looked so big. Or well, her stomach did. Of course. If the baby was due in January, that meant she was already seven months along at least. Looking up from where she was laying on the couch reading a book, she took a second to realize who it was. And then the book was dropped on the floor. She was up and running to them before Ginny knew what hit her. "It's so good to see you!" Ginny slowly reached her arms around and returned the hug that she was shocked to find herself in.

Pulling back, Millicent beamed at her. Ginny was flabbergasted. "Good to see you too. I…I can't believe you're about to be a mum! How have you been?"

"Oh, as good as can be expected. Draco." Ginny felt very out of place as Millicent and Draco stared at each other, and couldn't help but think of last year when the three of them had been in her room. There was no bathroom to retreat to here though, not unless she planned to get lost in this house.

"Having trouble with owl post recently? Heard you've been abroad for a while." Draco sighed, resigning himself to the fact that he was here and he was going to have to speak. "No trouble. I got your letters. I just…what do you want me to say?"

Ginny watched as Millicent stood straighter and crossed her arms. "An apology would be a good place to start." Ginny inched her way backwards, and pretended to browse the nearest bookshelf.

"You want me to say I'm sorry? Fine! I'm sorry! I was an utter arse and a terrible friend and I am never going to forgive myself for not being able to save him! Is that what you want to hear? I can't make it up to you! I can't ever make it up to him!"

Ginny watched in shock as Millicent shoved him and Draco took it. Not even trying to retaliate. "Shut up you complete idiot! I meant an apology for ignoring me! What happened to Vince wasn't your fault any more than it was mine! Neither of us could save him! Do you have any clue how hard I tried to get him to realize there was another way? That being powerful didn't have to mean overpowering everyone else?"

Millicent spun to face Ginny, and Ginny could only look at her with wide eyes. "He wasn't evil you know. You only saw the worst parts of him. He just didn't understand things. He had seen blackmail work all his life. When it didn't work for him, he got angry and confused. I thought he had gone crazy. Was dangerous and horrible and no longer someone I recognized." Ginny felt her chest tighten as Millicent continued to talk. It was obvious the girl needed to vent.

"Do you know he used to bring me cookies? We were fourteen and it was the only thing he could think to do. He would steal them from the younger years, roughing them up until they handed them over. Fifth year, when we were all complaining about OWLS? He beat Terry Boot up for his revision notes, handing them over to me with pride, telling me now I could pass and not worry. The things he did scared me, and I kept trying to ignore him. But he never understood why. Last year, it just, it all came to a head. When I rejected him outright. He wanted to prove to himself that I was nothing. To get payback for years of me ignoring him."

Ginny really did not see how any of this mattered. All she was gathering from this was how big of a bully Crabbe had always been. That he had been like a violent toddler, unable to take no for an answer and not understanding why things weren't going his way. But it was also becoming obvious that Millicent and Draco were both blaming themselves for not being able to fix him.

Ginny looked at Millicent's stomach, and took a deep breath. She wasn't sure she even wanted Millicent to answer, but her curiosity won out. "How did this happen then? I thought in November we stopped him, and then after Christmas you said you had that…thing." Millicent's eyes went glassy.

"Yeah, I did. But that was sort of what started it. That first night back, I had it around my neck and stormed up to Vince to explain just what it would do to any man who tried to touch me. Instead of being scared, he just looked confused, and asked why I needed it. That if I was worried about getting hurt, that he would protect me. To just tell him the name, and he'd take care of the bastard. I sort of lost it, screamed at him about how he was the one I needed protection from. Reminded him that he had told everyone I was nothing but filth. That hadn't he nearly killed me half a dozen times over last semester? He didn't say anything. Just stared at me and then left."

Draco interrupted then. "So that's what all that was about." Millicent nodded, and Ginny couldn't help but ask to be brought into the loop. It was Draco who answered. "Vince spent like a week being, I don't know, serious and quiet. Then one evening he stood up on a table in the common room and announced he'd learned the cruciatius curse, and that if anyone said or did anything more against Millicent he'd torture them. Was sort of out of the blue given that nothing had been done to her, but we all just shrugged it off." Ginny couldn't help but think they must all be barmy. They had just shrugged it off?

Millicent picked up the narrative again, explaining how he had pulled her outside after that, telling her that he wanted to fix things. That hurting her hadn't helped him get over her like he thought it would. He wanted to know what he had to do to make her his. She had tried to use the next few weeks to explain to him what she actually wanted. That if he was going to get her flowers, he needed to buy them, not steal them from the greenhouses. That it was very nice to call her pretty, but he didn't need to call every other girl ugly to do so. At first, she would just smile at him or hug him to let him know he had done something right. "But well, you know…it started to get a bit more physical, and I…" Here she shot a look at Draco who raised his eyebrows. "I'll just go find your aunt, shall I? See if she's spoken to my mother recently."

Once the door was shut, Millicent looked back over at her with a blush. "Daphne's never had sex and she didn't get it, but…you know how it's sort of …nice to have no power? When you're being held down or tied up and you know he's just using your body." Ginny's face went crimson. She actually didn't know completely. Draco had never tied her up. But she was well aware of how much she liked him holding her down, yanking her around, smacking her arse…would she want to be tied up? She certainly enjoyed him having control over her. "Er, yeah I get what you mean."

"Well, I sort of guided him the first few times, and then he really started to get the hang of it. It was so much better than in first semester, and it was just…amazing. Even in the autumn it hadn't always been bad. The sex I mean. His cock was as big as everything else about him and he was so aggressive….I swear, I might have given him a chance in the spring just because I knew what potential he had in bed." Ginny couldn't help it. She laughed. It was all sorts of messed up, but she found herself actually happy. Happy that if Millicent was having his baby, it was at least a product of mutual pleasure. Not rape like she had initially thought.

And then Millicent's face fell. "The baby was an accident of course. I almost wonder if the universe knew somehow. Knew that he was about to die, and gave me this baby to let a piece of him live on. My father can't get over the scandal of it. Threatened to disown me. If not for my uncle…I was stupid I guess." Ginny swallowed a lump in her throat, and decided if she was going to tell anyone, it might as well be Millicent.

"Well if you think that was stupid, Draco and I were actually trying for a baby." Millicent's mouth dropped open in shock. "What? Why?"

"To save ourselves? Draco thought a baby could keep me out of Hogwarts next year, thus avoiding the death eaters, and would give him an excuse to bow out of missions and not be such an active deatheater." Millicent cocked her head to the side, and then smiled.

"That was actually really smart. And he knew it would work too." Ginny's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"Well it's what his parents did, not to mention Greg's, Vince's, Theo's. You didn't think it a strange coincidence that so many of the less avid deatheaters suddenly all had children the same year? It was when the Dark Lord was starting to get violent, wanting his followers to commit murder. Those that didn't feel like risking Azkaban, suddenly all their wives were getting pregnant and they were bowing out in order to raise the next generation of purebloods. The Dark Lord couldn't really punish them for it, as continuing pureblood lines was one of his main goals."

Oh. Now that Millicent had said it, Ginny felt incredibly thick for not having put the pieces together herself. "You're good for him you know." Ginny bit her lip and shrugged. She hoped she was. But it was strange hearing it from someone else. Not one person had told her they were happy she was with Draco or that they were a good couple. Not until now.

"I'm serious. Just getting him to come here, I know it couldn't have been easy. I get why seeing me is hard for him. He sees me, and all he can think about is Vince dying and leaving me to be a single mum." Ginny couldn't help the thought that she could have very easily ended up in Millicent's position. What if she had gotten pregnant last spring and something had happened to Draco during the Final Battle? Ginny suddenly reached out and held Millicent's hand, needing Millicent to know she would support her. "I'm still in school so I can't visit very often, but if you ever need help or just someone to write to…" Millicent grinned.

"Thanks Ginny. But what I actually need to do is have a serious conversation with Draco. Think you can get him to listen?" Ginny's resolve instantly hardened. "Wait right here." Heading out of the room, Ginny brushed aside any nerves, and began banging on doors, calling out for Draco. A door across the landing slid open, revealing a witch in a beautiful green and gold robe. "He's in here dear. You must be the young Miss. Weasley."

After a quick explanation of Millicent needing to talk to Draco, he trudged back towards her, and gave her a long, pathetic look. She swatted his arm. "Go in there. Now. And remember not to upset her too much. She is pregnant you know." He sighed and opened the door to the study, Ginny giving him a quick kiss on the cheek before she left. Mrs. Bulstrode ended up giving her a house tour as the two chatted, and Ginny found herself thinking about what type of house she would want one day.

She was in the kitchen being fed lunch by the house elf, when Draco finally walked in. He flopped into the chair next to her and stole a piece of shepard's pie from her plate. "Before you ask, a lot of it was just talking about Vince. What he would want if he were still alive. After a bit of arguing, I got her to agree to accept some money for the baby. She doesn't need it or anything. I just…I needed to give it." Ginny took his hand, and squeezed. "Alright."

He looked over at her, his gaze more somber and thoughtful than she was used to. "Thanks Gin. You were right. I needed to do this. I just, it's hard to be reminded, you know? It's so much easier to just try and forget it ever happened." She did know. It was easier, not being at The Burrow. Not having to see George without Fred.

"Ready to head out? Millie's napping right now. There was a fair amount of crying, and I think it wore her out." Ginny nodded, and within ten minutes, the two of them found themselves back at the Three Broomsticks. It was strange being hurled back into Hogsmeade, a place full of chattering Hogwarts students. She knew she was one of them. Still a student and all. But she was also beginning to feel a bit out of place.

She didn't know how Hermione and Dean did it. They were adults now. And there were moments like this, where she suddenly felt too old for school. That instead of living with schoolmates, she should be living in a house with Draco. Being there for him when he came home from the Ministry. Letting him complain about work while they ate dinner. Going to bed with him at night.

Speaking of going to bed. Turning to him, she raised an eyebrow and tilted her head towards the staircase. As the two approached the bar, Rosmerta didn't even bother asking what they wanted. It was routine by now. In the middle of pouring butterbeers, she grabbed the key from a hook and threw it at them. Draco's hand snatched it out of midair with a smirk. Honestly, Ginny was a bit impressed. All those years playing seeker really had given him rather good reflexes. "It's on the house today. Heard Dougal got fined during a surprise inspection the other week. Curious, given he hasn't had an inspection in over a decade." Rosmerta and Draco shared a look.

"Well, what can I say? An anonymous tip to the right person goes a long way." Rosmerta actually laughed at that, and then looked between the two of them with an almost fondness. "You keep him in line, eh? And you, give that girl a ring already." Ginny flushed, but Draco only smiled. "Can't. Got to ask her father first." Before she could reply, a clump of students came up to order, dragging her back into the hustle and bustle of business. Ginny found herself stuck to the spot, beaming inside. "You coming love?"

They had two hours before Ginny had told Hermione to meet them. Two hours that they put to very good use.

Ginny's wand blazed to life, letting them know their time together in bed was up. Ginny's gaze leapt to his face, her mouth still securely around his cock. They shared a look, and Ginny swirled her tongue around him one last time before letting him go with a pop. Ginny came up for a kiss, and then rolled off the bed to grab her wand off the floor. Draco continued to lie on the bed, his naked body irritatingly distracting, as she used cleaning spells to vanish the wet spots on the sheets.

She hadn't left enough time to shower, so Ginny made do with a freshening charm, resigning herself to slightly sticky thighs. She very quickly pulled her clothes back on, walked over to the mirror to yank her hair into something a little neater, applied a glamour charm to her neck, and hoped it was enough. Did she still smell like sex?

Draco had redressed as well, but had done nothing else. Instead, he stood there and looked at her wearily. "Do we really have plans with Granger? Why in Merlin's name does she want to be around me?"

Ginny gave him a warning look that he rolled his eyes at. "Don't give me that look. Hatchet's buried and all. At least on my end. Sort of has to be after they saved my life. Still, that doesn't change the fact that she's an annoying swot."

Ginny opened her mouth to retort, and then snapped it shut. In all honesty, he likely was going to find what Hermione had to say annoying and possibly quite insulting as well. "Well you're just going to have to learn to deal with it. She's my friend and she's not going anywhere. And fix your hair at least." He huffed and ran a hand through it, but Ginny wasn't sure it had helped much. He still looked like he had just been well fucked, tousled as it was. Had he even managed a charm for his breath, or did it still smell like her? "Oh never mind. Come on. I don't want to keep her waiting."

Despite Ginny's best efforts, Hermione was already at a table, watching them come down with pursed lips. Ginny slid into the booth across from Hermione and spoke quickly. "I didn't lie. We came back after lunch. We really did spend the morning with a friend." Hermione didn't respond but instead stiffened as Draco slid in next to Ginny, putting him directly across from her. Ginny saw Hermione's eyes drop down to his neck, and winced. He hadn't glamoured his hickey. Prat.

"Granger. Ginny said you wanted to talk? I do hope it's good, given what you just interrupted and all." He had extended his arm to put around Ginny's shoulders, and was leaning back against the booth in an act of confident smugness. Ginny would have been mad at him, but she realized that this was his way of hiding his discomfort. Hermione was making no effort to pretend to be relaxed. Instead her back remained unnaturally straight, her lips and eyes narrowed aggressively. When she spoke, it was terse and antagonistic.

"I see your manners haven't improved much. Which leads quite nicely to the point I made the other day. You being qualified to be an ambassador is an absolute joke. What did you do? Blackmail someone? Pay someone off?" Any trace of his aloof façade disappeared. His arm retracted from around Ginny, his body leaned towards the table, and his expression turned icy.

"Accusing me of something Granger?" His tone did nothing to deter Hermione. If anything, it only seemed to strengthen her resolve. She leaned in towards the table as well, and stared him down. "Only speculating for now. Although the probability does seem high. It is how your father acquired every bit of influence he has."

"Right. Because the great Hermione Granger knows everything, does she? You don't know shit. You think wizards are actually ever going to take you seriously? With your self righteous, know it all attitude? Please. They'll placate you because you're friends with Potter, but that's it. Our world's small Granger, and connections run deep. You may be the smartest witch of our age, but it doesn't mean they'll ever like you."

Hermione's face had flushed red with rage. "Oh but they'll like you? A pompous arse with a criminal record who sneers at nearly everyone?"

Draco's eyes shone. "Yes. You want to know why? Because they know I'm just as prejudiced as them. Same values. Same upbringing. Do you know why Rasmus agreed to talk to me? Because he knew if I was supporting it, there must be another reason. The official reasons for the program made him sick. He despises Kingsely's bleeding heart. He wasn't going to help werewolves out of kindness. He'd rather they all be rounded up and caged as animals. I got him to help with the program by emphasizing how it will incentivize werewolves to publically register themselves. No more hiding, no more excuses for attacks. If a werewolf attacks someone now, it won't just be treated as an animal attack. The werewolf is now going to be dragged in as a criminal, fully responsible for his actions, and punished accordingly. Rasmus was nearly giddy once he realized werewolves would be publically known now. He's rather convinced most of them will mess up eventually, and their imprisonment is only a matter of time."

Hermione had gone pale. "But that…that's horrible. The program is meant to help them. It's-"

"It's whatever you want to see it as. And don't get all bent out of shape. I could care less if they end up imprisoned or not. If they all take their potion and end up living peaceful lives, then great. I care that creatures like Greyback are suddenly going to have a much harder time convincing the newly bitten to join a savage, wild, pack instead of shuffling off to the Ministry for help. This program decreases the risk of werewolf attacks and I'm happy to support it. So reel in that self righteous indignation."

She seemed to be struggling for words, and then turned to Ginny. "Are you hearing this? How can you even tolerate sitting next to him?" The truth was, even though Ginny hadn't known all the details, nothing he had said had really alarmed her. It made sense. Whatever Rasmus felt about werewolves personally, he was still the one who needed to agree to brew the Wolfsbane. So Draco had figured out a way to convince him. That was the job he had been paid to do. And the end result was still good. "Oh stop it. You're idealistic and he's practical. We all already knew this. And he might have a point Hermione. If you're only willing to work with others who are full of pure intentions, you're not going to get very far."

Draco shifted, his irritation fading, looking at Hermione curiously instead. "Granger, what exactly are you planning to do?" His question seemed to shock Hermione slightly, and Ginny watched as Hermione began to talk without a trace of enmity. "Well I plan to work for the rights of the many magical creatures that seem to have no voice of their own. House elves of course are my passion, but there are others as well."

And just like that, Ginny and Draco found themselves reluctant listeners as Hermione outlined all the abuses she had seen against this creature or that creature, and how she hoped to change or invent laws for their protection. They both kept from interrupting, wary of setting her off into ranting about another issue. When she finally finished, there was a moment of silence and then Draco spoke. "Well Granger, I never thought I would say this. But best wishes on marrying Weasely. Hope you have a dozen children. I'll even delay our wedding if you two want to go first. Anything to keep you out of the Ministry."

Ginny sent him an annoyed glare, but Hermione only scrunched her face up in confusion. "Never mind him, Hermione. We all know you have a long, fruitful career ahead of you before you become a mum. Ron's not expecting anything less."

Hermione only stared as Ginny and Draco used silent looks to communicate between themselves. And then her mouth dropped open in realization. "Are you implying that I would allow children to overtake my career? How ridiculous. If I do eventually decide to have children, I assure you it won't keep me from working just as hard as before. They can go to daycare, just like I did."

Both of them stared at her in utter confusion, but it was Draco who asked the question. "What the hell is daycare?" Shocked, Hermione found herself about to answer when she realized. She thought back to every mention of growing up in a magical household she had ever heard. And then it hit her. There was not a single instance of the mother not staying home with the children. Every career minded witch she had ever met had been single. From their Professors, to Umbridge, to Rita Skeeter. Even Tonks had ended her auror career as soon as she was pregnant.

"Daycare, it's a place you drop your kids off for the day while you work. In the muggle world, a lot of kids only see their parents in the evenings and on weekends. It used to be that all mums stayed home with the kids, but that was like fifty years ago." Draco immediately showed his disgust, but Ginny was trying to hold off and understand.

"So…so muggles used to have the mum stay at home with the kids. But now she works and drops her kids off at some place to be raised by others. And that's progress according to the muggles, is it? They like this daycare thing?" Hermione frowned. "Well, yes. Because it allows women freedom. Freedom to work and earn money and be respected in the world just like a man. I mean, some people don't like it. They think it's better for the woman to stay at home. But that only works if the family can survive on one income, not to mention all the single mothers out there who can't afford to not get a job."

Ginny sat quietly, but Hermione had an uneasy feeling that Ginny thought very little of the idea of daycare. It was Draco who broke the silence. "Fucking hell Granger. Always knew muggles were crazy." Ginny elbowed him in warning, and then met Hermione's gaze. "Ron's never going to agree to that you know."

She could have gotten upset, but as she looked at Ginny, Hermione realized with a sinking feeling that Ginny knew more about this than her. Valuing basic education had been similar enough to the muggle world, that she had never really been forced to confront the cultural differences between this world and the muggle one. But she was nineteen now, and new issues were beginning to pop up.

Ginny and Draco were only 17 and 18. But in this world, that just meant they were adults. There were no college years that delayed adolescence. Draco, Harry, Ron, and countless others were now working adults. Talk of marriage and kids was not some hypothetical idea for ten years down the road. It was now. She knew the Potters and the Weasleys had gotten married at her age. Mrs. Weasley had been 20 when she had Bill, and Harry's mum had also been 20 when she had him. At the wedding last year, while Bill had been 27, Fleur had only been 19. They married young and raised their kids at home, or stayed single and worked. What was it that Ron was expecting of her? Did he want her to be like his mum?

Overwhelmed, Hermione excused herself, and headed into the cold November wind to try and think things through calmly and rationally. Back in the Three Broomsticks, Ginny and Draco found themselves unexpectedly alone. "So, what exactly are you being sent to Germany for next week?"


	22. A Proposal

**Chapter 7: A Proposal**

Ginny looked out from her bedroom window, watching with heightened excitement as the lone figure stomped through the snowy yard. What was he doing here? She hadn't expected him until this afternoon. The sun had barely risen, and under normal circumstances she would still be asleep. As it was though, she had done no more than drift in and out of sleep all night. It was the fourth day of the Christmas Holidays and Ron, Hermione, and Harry had been invited to the Burrow for Christmas Eve. What they didn't know, is that Draco had also been invited. It was all part of Ginny's master plan to introduce Draco as her boyfriend to Ron. Her brother was still in the dark about it, Hermione refusing to take on the responsibility of telling him. She would have told Draco to come earlier, but he had just gotten back from his assignment in Greece yesterday.

She was about to run down to greet him, when she saw her father rush out of the house and steer him away from the door. Astonished, she watched as the two wizards disappeared into her father's shed. What in Merlin's name was going on? Lying on the floor, she scrambled for the extendable ear she knew was somewhere under her bed. Yanking it out, it looked less like an ear and more like a mashed up dust collector. Grabbing her wand, she cleaned it, and then raced out of her room.

Encompassed by a warming charm, Ginny crouched against the side of the shed, ignoring the snow that was melting on her dressing gown. The ear had become a fleshy rope, looping around the perimeter of the shed, and stopping under the door crack.

"And you will be able to provide for her?"

"Mr. Weasley, I can assure you, your daughter will never be in want of money or anything that money can buy."

"I knew this was only a matter of time. Ever since I saw you with her back in May. I had every intention of not allowing it, you understand. But, well. I was you not so long ago. Eighteen and asking Molly's father for her hand. Her father did say no. Didn't think much of me. Thought I was from the wrong sort of family. And so I know that what I say doesn't really matter. Ginny is too much like her mother. Stubborn and sure of herself. Molly ignored her father, married me anyway, and ruined her relationship with her parents. I won't have history repeat itself. I won't lose my daughter over this."

"…..So is that a yes then?"

Ginny heard her father give a large, resigned sigh and had to stop herself from shrieking in delight. "Yes. You have my blessing. Just remember, her mother and I still expect to see her for family dinners every once in a while. And when you have children, Molly will want to watch them. No grandchildren of ours are going to be raised by a house elf."

"Yes sir." Ginny had to clap a hand over her mouth to keep from squealing. Her face was one enormous grin. The door opened and Ginny jerked back, hastily trying to roll up the ear, but it was too late. Her father had the end of it securely in his hand, and was looking over at Draco with an eyebrow raised. "If you planned some surprising or romantic way of doing this, you'll have to rethink it." Ginny stepped out around the corner of the shed, and grinned guiltily.

Her father shook his head in a way that clearly showed his many years of dealing with his children's antics, and released the extendable ear. Draco took a minute to look back and forth between daughter and father, and then unceremoniously dropped to his knee. Mr. Weasley's eyes rounded along with his daughter's, and he held out a hand. "Hold on!" Producing a patronus, he sent it flying into the Burrow and the three waited in a strange sort of stillness as Mrs. Weasley rushed out the door in her nightgown, wand held ready for battle. "Arthur! Where's the attack!"

"Sh! Just watch." Alarmed, Mrs. Weasley took in the scene in front of her, and looked ready to faint. Draco turned to face Ginny, his face red, and tried to block out her parents.

"As you know, I don't have a clue how to be romantic. I splattered you with glitter and turned your bedroom into some pink nightmare when I tried. I don't always know how to say things kindly and we're probably going to piss each other off many times over the course of our lives. But you also make me the happiest I've ever been and I promise to love you and provide for you for the rest of our lives. Ginevra Molly Weasley, you went from being my favourite person in Hogwarts, to being my favourite person in the entire world. Would you do me the honor of being my wife?"

Ginny realized she was crying, and could only nod frantically, before launching herself at him. They toppled over into the snow together, Ginny squeezing him for dear life as she kissed him. He flailed under her, and shot a look over to the side where her parents were watching them. His discomfort broke Ginny out of her daze, and she followed his gaze before blushing and pulling back. As the two of them stood up, Ginny could hear her mother crying, and beamed. Draco was retrieving something from his cloak, and Ginny nearly fainted as he opened the box. That was for her?

"It's a bit extravagant I know, but it's been in the family for centuries. My father's grandmother was its last owner." Uncaring of her parents, Ginny found herself kissing him again. "It's beautiful. I love it. Oh Draco. You really didn't need to."

"Oh shut up, of course I had to. You're going to be a Malfoy and Malfoys always have the best of everything." Ginny laughed and Draco smiled back as he slipped the ring onto her finger. Then she was hugging him again, and he hugged back, both of them incredibly happy and in Draco's case, relieved. "Oh my baby! Oh Arthur! Look at them! She's practically glowing isn't she? What are we all doing out here in the cold? Come inside dears. We can celebrate over breakfast. Draco, what is your favorite dish? Ginny loves beans and tomatoes on toast. Bit odd, but there you go."

"Er, well I actually like bangers with mushrooms the best I suppose. Thanks Mrs. Weasley." Ginny watched her mum hesitate for a moment, and then nod decisively. "Never mind this Mrs. Weasley nonsense. It's mum to you now. Bangers and mushrooms hmm? Charlie always liked that as well. You'll have to meet him when he's here next. Back in Romania for Christmas this year, he is."

Draco shot a look over to Ginny that was half dazed and half incredulous. Ginny just squeezed his hand and smiled back at him. Ginny had a suspicion she had Fleur to thank for this reception of Draco. Her parents had already experienced the futility of not immediately embracing an in-law, and seemed inclined to not repeat that experience. If Draco was going to be family, they seemed to know they might as well accept it and save everyone the grief.

Ginny couldn't help but feel like she was in her own little world, even as her parents chatted with each other and cooked up breakfast in the kitchen. Not letting go of his hand, she sat in the chair next to him, and simply gazed at him as he made simple conversation with her parents. All throughout breakfast, it seemed like a dream. They were engaged. He had really proposed. She was going to be Ginevra Malfoy. She knew it had been coming. But having the ring, having it really be real, it was incredible.

"We'll let you two have some time alone. Just remember, the others are set to arrive around one. Don't go too far and remember, back by one." Ginny and Draco nodded in agreement, anxious to get out the door. They began by grabbing brooms out of the shed and flying a ways off, but neither could concentrate on anything but the other. They ended up under a tree, making out, brooms long forgotten. In between the kissing, they managed to catch up on the two weeks since he had been at her Quidditch game. They also talked briefly about wedding plans, tentatively slating their wedding for the summer. But even as they talked, they couldn't keep their hands completely off each other. Kissing often interrupted sentences, not that either minded, and 'I love you' was muttered back and forth at random intervals.

As they flew back towards the Burrow, Ginny felt her nervousness come back full force. She knew Draco was nervous too, and had therefore failed to mention to him that Ron didn't know about them dating. It would only have increased his anxiety. But she would admit that she might have made a mistake with that. As soon as she was through the door, Ron could be heard from the living room. "Ginny's here mum! Now can you tell us why you've been acting like an absolute nut since we've gotten here? Ow! What was that for 'Mione?"

Taking a deep breath, Ginny gripped Draco's hand and marched forward. Draco stumbled slightly, and then matched her pace as they entered the family room together. "About time you got here! Mum wouldn't let us eat….what the BLOODY HELL IS HE DOING HERE!" Draco had slipped out of her grip and retrieved his wand before she registered what was happening. Ron had shot a hex that Draco barely dodged. But before Draco could retaliate, Ron had been blasted backwards into a chair by George.

"The prat is Ginny's boyfriend. Honestly. How do you not know that by now?" Draco had managed to stand and brush his robes by this point, smirking at Ron's flustered protests. "Boyfriend…but…no. That's impossible. It's…how…I…" Hermione sighed, and looked to Harry for help. Harry was busy looking at Ginny though, his expression rigid as he looked at her hand. "No…not boyfriend."

George, Percy, and Hermione all looked at Harry in confusion, but Harry only nodded towards the two. "I think Ginny might have an announcement."

Ginny instantly found herself the center of attention, and gave them all a big smile. "Harry, Ron, Hermione, Percy, George. As most of you know, I've been with Draco for over a year. And very recently, we've gotten engaged." The reactions were very mixed. Percy perked up at the news and came over to give Draco a handshake, congratulating him, while Draco shook his hand back with surprise. George lifted his bottle, tipping it in Draco's direction with a wink. "Good luck mate. She has a temper that one. Taught her half of what she knows."

Harry sat quietly, just about as neutral as it was possible to be. Hermione was equally silent, but looking between the two with disapproval. Ron could not be quieted though. He was up and shouting. "Engaged! Is this some horrible joke? No way I'm going to be related to that prat! Get away from my sister you slimly git! Mum! Why are you just standing there? You can't actually allow this to happen!"

Ginny watched as her mum put her hands on her hips. "Ronald Weasley, don't you take that tone with me. This is your sister's decision, and she made it of her own volition. She's of age now, and if this is what she wants, then you'll just have to find a way to live with it."

"But he's evil!"

"Oi! I am not."

"Close enough! I can't believe we saved your sorry arse. And how do you repay us? With this! Preying on my little sister, trying to wiggle your way into my family."

"Preying on me! Is that what you think Ron? That I'm just some poor little victim of Malfoy's? I'll show you weak. Draw your wand!"

"Ginevra! Ronald! Stop it this instant! Wands away now and wash up for lunch." The two siblings glared at each other, and then slowly did as their mum had said. George tried to break the tension with a joke. But as soon as Hermione laughed, Ron snapped, turning his ire onto his girlfriend. "You knew about this, didn't you! How long?"

Hermione's shoulders went back and she glared at Ron. "Not as long as Harry. And no need to look so angry. I'm not Ginny's keeper." Scandalized by this new piece of information, Ron could only look at Harry with wide eyes. "Harry?"

Harry blushed something mad, and ran his hand through his hair. "I didn't really know. I didn't know it was a relationship I mean. I just knew that they had been….uh….together." Ron's ears were bright red and Hermione's eyes had widened. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had tensed, while George and Percy shared a look of confusion.

Draco winced as Ginny took the opportunity to put it all out in the open. "Yes, alright! George and Percy, sorry about this, but everyone else already knows. Harry only heard the school rumours Ron. He didn't know anything other than what the other 250 people who went to school with us knew. It's going to come up at some point if not now. Neville, Seamus, they all only know part of the story."

"Which is what exactly?"

"That Draco and I were sleeping with each other all of last year." You could hear a pin drop. And then it was chaos. Ron didn't bother with a wand this time. He leapt for Draco, shoving him to the ground before going at it with his fists. Both Percy and George were standing, looking as if they weren't sure if they should be helping Ron or not. Part of their reluctance could have been due to Ginny who was yelling, shoving Ron off her fiancé, eventually using a powerful charm when her body wasn't enough.

As Ron groaned and tried to recover, George drew his wand in determination. "Sorry Gin, but no decent brother can let this go." Ginny screamed for him to stop, but it was too late. George had slammed Draco up against the wall, pinning him there with a spell. Draco's head lolled, already bruised and bloody from Ron's assault. "Perce?"

Ginny saw Percy reluctantly raise his wand, and she shouted a disarming spell at him. Percy let his wand clatter to the floor without much resistance, and Ginny turned her attention to her other brother. "Let him go George!"

"Gin, I get that you love him but"

"But nothing! Let him go right now!"

"George, listen to Ginny. You don't think as her father I didn't feel the same way when I found out? But it's no use now. They're getting married and the past can't be undone." Her father's words worked where hers had failed, and George slowly let Draco back down to the floor. Draco groaned in pain, and Ginny gave her mum a desperate look.

"Right. To the kitchen all of you. And if anyone so much as raises their wand, you will be sent to eat lunch by yourself in the shed. Now off with you!" Ginny stayed behind as her mum went up to get healing potions. She tried to cradle him in her lap, but he pushed her away and sat up on his own. "Stop, I'm fine. I just…I just need a minute." Ginny nodded and drowned in her feelings of guilt. She shouldn't have said anything. Her and her stupid mouth. Why had she insisted on everyone knowing the truth? Of putting it all out there?

"I'm sorry. I never thought that-"

"Gin, stop. Don't apologize. I can take a few punches okay? I'm not made of glass." Ginny nodded, but didn't miss the look of relief on his face after her mum gave him a potion to relieve a headache. Her mum healed his split lip, reduced all of the swelling, and gave him something to speed up the bruising process. He looked awful, and all she wanted to do was kiss every inch of his face.

Everyone was silent as Draco and Ginny took their seats at the table. There was a tension in the air that Ginny refused to acknowledge. Eventually, conversations began. George was talking to Harry, Percy was talking to her dad, and her mum was chatting with Hermione. Ginny put her hand on Draco's thigh and squeezed. It would all be okay. Things were subdued but peaceful, and then Percy looked over, right at Draco. "You had a meeting with Kontrubis when you were in Greece, didn't you? What did you think of him? The man's letters are a convoluted mess. Can't get a good read on his real feelings about the new regulations over chimaeras."

Draco immediately sat up straighter and stared at Percy. He knew this was his opportunity. He went for it. No sarcasm, no sneering. Just straight forward conversation. "It's the translation charm he uses. He's bollocks at it but refuses any offer at help. Drives his assistant mad. But as for his feelings, the only thing he cares about is money. If the British Ministry is going to control the movement of the creatures so strictly, he needs to either be bribed or paid really well. If not, he's going to keep running them through the black market."

Ginny noticed Ron's mouth hanging open in shock, and gave her own smirk. It wasn't long before her dad was asking Draco who else he had met in the Ministry so far, and even Harry found himself drawn in as Draco explained what he knew of the black market.

Ginny felt her heart might burst as she took it all in, watching her family slowly bring Draco into the fold. By dessert, the tension had all but disappeared, and they were all speaking now of holiday traditions. Ginny's mum was interrogating Draco on his family's Christmas traditions, and Hermione was chiming in with her own, and it all just felt so lovely. Until Ron spoiled it of course. "You know Ginny is still going to spend her Christmases here, don't you?" Silence engulfed the table, and then Ginny scoffed. "Oh come off it Ron! As if we have to choose one or the other. I'm sure we'll floo and split the difference. Morning at one place, and the afternoon in the other. Honestly. Stop trying to cause a fight."

Ron glared back at her. "Me? I'm the one trying to cause a fight! You're the one who brought this foul little ferret here."

"No wonder no one tells you anything Weasley. You haven't got an ounce of decorum have you? Isn't it a bit embarrassing? Your family, best friend, girlfriend, all feeling the need to protect you from knowing things?" Ginny bit her lip to keep from smiling as everyone stared at Draco.

"You can't…I…this is my house…my family"

"Really? I never would have noticed. What is your point exactly?"

"You can't insult me! Not here!"

"Right. Should we move to the family room then? It's certainly not far. Could probably get there in two steps."

George choked on his ale, cutting off any response Ron was about to give. "Blimey Malfoy. Forgot what an absolute prick you could be. Not that I don't agree with the bit about Ron, mind you."

"What! How could you agree? I'm your brother!" George ignored Ron's flustered indignation and kept his focus on Draco.

"Fair warning though. Go too far, and you'll have a shop full of products to worry about. And quite a collection of prototypes that were a bit too nasty to sell to the public. For family use though…"

"You're not alluding to that awful sticky goo are you? George Osbert Weasley! You swore to me you threw every last batch of that out! That poor boy. It took him nearly a month to fully recover."

"He knew what he was getting into mum! And I paid him very well for being the test subject. In fact, he's starting up work again after Christmas."

And just like that, the conversation moved on. When the last bits of cake had been cleared away, Ron sighed and leaned back in his chair in contentment. As well he might. He had shoveled in three pieces. "Up for a game of chess Harry?" Harry made a face, and searched the table desperately. "What about Percy?"

Percy cleared his throat, and then blushed. "Actually, I have to pop into the office for a few hours. Just some ends to tie up. I'll be here bright and early tomorrow though." Ginny couldn't help but feel sad as she saw just how much that last bit meant to her parents. Even her dad looked a bit teary.

George was staring at his youngest brother, his head cocked to the side in thought, and then got up and grabbed Harry's arm. "Come on Harry. I want to show you my newest line. Anything you wanted to show Hermione Ronnikins?" Ron blinked in confusion, and George rolled his eyes.

And then finally, Ron understood. "Oh, yes. Er, right. Want to go for a walk 'Mione?" Ginny grinned as Hermione's face lit up and the two of them headed out the door holding hands. Ginny really hoped it worked out between Ron and Hermione, but she couldn't help but worry. Her brother just seemed so clueless.

"So, you two headed to the snake pit next?" Draco didn't visibly react to what George had said, but Ginny reached over and squeezed his hand anyways. She knew how much Draco still hated the thought of snakes. Being around Nagini and watching her swallow a person wasn't something he was ever going to forget. "Are we?"

Draco looked at her warily. "They would probably appreciate it. You don't have to worry about it being a surprise; my father is actually the one who gave me the ring." Ginny knew what Draco was leaving out. She could tell from his tone. That his mother still had her reservations. But Ginny wasn't one to cower.

"Yeah, uh, leave in ten minutes? I'll just go change first shall I?" And then before anyone could give a response, Ginny was rushing up the stairs trying to keep herself calm. Narcissa Malfoy. The thin, immaculate blonde witch that was always wearing the richest fabrics and the most elegant jewelry. What in Merlin's name did Ginny own that wouldn't look absolutely ridiculous next to that?

Arriving at the manor only confirmed Ginny's suspicions. The dark blue robes with embroidery stitched on by her mum looked like some pathetic craft project next to Narcissia Malfoy's outfit. The woman had on a robe that cinched at the waist and flared out at the bottom voluminously. The collar and hem boasted shimmering feathers and the embroidery on the bodice was as fine and delicate as a spider web. Not to mention the material of it was something that resembled shiny silk. It clung to her beautifully.

"Draco dear, thank Merlin you have returned. The dinner party is set to begin in just three hours." Dinner party? Ginny threw a startled look at Draco, yet thought the decorations made a bit more sense now. The front hall they were in was decked out to the eaves. Sticking charms must have been used, evergreens having been arranged into elaborate designs on the walls and bannisters. Countless white candles were intermixed with the greenery, and Ginny could already imagine how nice it would look all lit up this evening.

"Oh yes, the party. How could I forget? Three dozen witches and wizards all at least three times my age. How thrilling."

"Draco." Ginny watched as he huffed at his mother's reprimand, and shrugged her shoulders when he looked over at her. She didn't mind. If he could handle lunch with her family, she could suffer through some stuffy dinner party. He gave her a brief smile, before looking back at his mother. "We'll be ready a quarter to seven." Ginny couldn't help but feel a twinge of pride. The things they were willing to do for each other. And then his mother spoke.

"We? Draco, you don't mean to say she'll be staying? Why, she doesn't even appear dressed for it! Horatia Travers and Isolde Fawley will have an absolute field day. I can hear their snide comments already. Absolutely not."

"Mother you're being…." Ginny waited with baited breath as Draco cut himself off. His mother was looking at him with raised eyebrows and pursed lips, tension so thick between the two that a fight seemed inevitable to Ginny. She was fully expecting a screaming match.

It was an absolute shock when Draco finally spoke. He didn't so much as raise his voice. Instead he took a deep breath and somehow kept a respectful tone. To Ginny, it was so odd and unexpected that she barely paid attention to what he said.

"I'm sure father already made adjustments to the seating chart this morning to include Ginny. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if he's already dropped hints that she'll be there to more than a few people. Wouldn't it be much more embarrassing to be asked why the witch I'm engaged to is absent? And if you're really so worried about her robes, why don't you lend her one of yours. She is to be your daughter soon."

Ginny would have to be blind to not have noticed the expression of sour disgust that Narcissa made at that last sentence. It took all of Ginny's self control to remain quiet and not react to the insult. She had promised herself that she would try to stay out of any conflict. To try and trust that Draco would know best how to deal with his own parents. But Merlin, was it difficult.

"Right then. I'm going to take her on a tour of the Manor. If you decide to lend her something for this evening, you can send the elf. Come on love." And with that, Draco took her hand firmly in his own, and began walking down the hall. Ginny let herself be led a half dozen steps, before she stopped and looked over her shoulder unable to stay quiet. "Mrs. Malfoy? I wouldn't worry too much about appearances if I were you. Given that no one from my family knew about it, I'm sure no one very important was invited to this party of yours. If you ever want to have dinner with the Minister though, I'm sure I could ask my mother to invite you to one of her get togethers."

Narcissa's expression didn't falter, other than for a slight widening of the eyes. Ginny's heart was hammering away, but she knew it had been the right thing to do. She had to make it clear that she was not going to be some pathetic doormat that could be stepped on and ignored. The silence lasted for a good half minute, and then Narcissa looked angrily at Draco. "So this is what you want in a wife? Some ill mannered, disrespectful shrew?"

Ginny's back straightened and her chest puffed out, but before she could retort, Draco had stepped in front of her. "Goodbye mother." Narcissa gave one last huff of indignation, and then turned, stalking off to another room. Ginny watched Draco as he stared at his mother leaving, and felt a wave of sadness and frustration wash over her. As much as she had been offended by his mother's comments, Ginny couldn't find it in herself to want him to actually fight with his mother. For all Narcissa Malfoy did and said, it was clear she loved her son.

When she had completely disappeared from view, Ginny finally spoke. "Your mother is a piece of work, isn't she?"

Draco turned around to look at her and smirked. "Pot calling the kettle. And just so you know, none of that was actually against you personally. She would have reacted the same way to nearly any witch. I can count on one hand the women she would have approved of. She just needs time. Trust me. People will begin to compliment her on what a smart match we are, or how beautiful our wedding was, or even how adorable her grandchildren are, and she'll suddenly be saying she knew you were the one for me from the very beginning. As soon as she realizes how many people like you, her distaste for you will disappear."

Ginny couldn't help but think that such an attitude seemed superficial and shallow. She kept her opinion to herself though as Draco kept talking. "You're just not who she expected. I think she was hoping for a daughter in law that would be just like her. Someone she could shop with, gossip with. Someone who ran in the same social circles. She'll get over it. And until she does, my father will make sure she's at least polite at any public function. Don't worry about tonight. Now, let's start this tour shall we?"

As it turned out, the tour started out quite pleasantly. He led her first past the stairs, and into the room that functioned as a ball room. Her eyes had widened at the enormous Christmas tree, but it was the tapestries on the wall that really caught her eye. "Is that one of your ancestors fighting off a leucrota?" Draco eyed the tapestry critically. "Yeah. It's not as old as you would think though. Great, Great Uncle Claudius apparently had a penchant for the medieval period and paid a heap of money to find someone still skilled with weaving to make this. He hunted the beast down and gouged the eyes out sometime in the 1840s. They're upstairs actually. I'll show you in a bit."

At first, Ginny thought she might have misheard. Gouging out eyes for potion ingredients was all well and good, but why in Merlin's name would you keep eyes upstairs? Draco shrugged when she asked, and explained that there was a myth that if you put the eyes under your tongue, you'd gain ocular powers. Ginny's face scrunched up in disgust and Draco laughed. "It's not so bad. The eyes look and feel more like gemstones than anything else. Nothing soft or squishy about them. I tried it once growing up, but sadly, no powers."

The next room they visited was a small room off of the ballroom that functioned as a cozy parlor. The middle of the room was dominated by a grand piano that Draco took a seat at, much to Ginny's surprise. "You play?"

"Of course. Well, actually, just the basics. I was taught by a great pianist, but I was a bit of a snot about it. Wouldn't practice between lessons and got a bit mouthy when my teacher tried to reprimand me. More than once, she got so fed up she silencioed me for the length of the lesson. I was so mad at her for that, I would slam my fingers down on all the wrong notes and refuse to play correctly. Finally, she thought to lift the silencios and instead enchant my piano book to follow me around and beat me every twelve hours if I hadn't opened it. It was probably what I needed, but I threw such a large tantrum over it, that my parents agreed to let my teacher go and that was the end to my lessons."

At her urging, he began to play a simple version of _The Ghouls of Yule,_ and Ginny sang the words in her off-key but enthusiastic way. To an outsider, it would seem that they had mangled it, but neither Draco nor Ginny cared. They had such fun with it, that they belted out three more songs before moving on to the rest of the rooms. There was a solarium that was filled with all sorts of plants, and next to it, a room that had been set up for brewing. Both rooms had stone walls and floors that bore the marks of centuries of explosions, foul liquids, and Merlin knew what else. It made Ginny think back to when Draco had told her he thought he might be a brewer, and she realized that maybe he would have been better at it than she had thought. After all, how many people grew up with a room dedicated to potion making?

After a quick look at the drawing room, the kitchen, and the dining room, they headed upstairs to a long hallway. The walls were filled with portraits who gave her appraising looks, before gossiping amongst themselves. Draco's only acknowledgement of any of them was a brief comment about how one got silencioed every night so as to keep him from waking them all up with his terrible lute playing at 4 am. That Draco didn't open the doors for his parents' room and his father's study was understandable. What was not understandable was the door next to the study that Draco shot a stunning spell at when it shook violently as they walked by.

"What was that!" Draco furrowed his brow, and then shrugged his shoulders. "Not sure. It's been doing that for the last month or so. It used to shoot splinters, but father finally figured out some charm to immobilize it. Now shaking's the worst it does." Ginny stared at the door wide eyed, and then looked back at Draco. "Can we open it?" She hadn't even taken two steps towards it, before Draco grabbed her arm and yanked her back.

"Not yet. We've sent the elf in there a few times, but it's not figured it out yet. We think some cursed object must have been broken and released its magic inside. It used to be my grandfather's study. The room hasn't really been used much since he died of Dragonpox when I was six." Ginny let Draco lead them past, but couldn't help her spark of curiosity. She forgot all about it though as Draco opened the door at the end of the hall.

Candles all over the room flared to life, illuminating a floor covered in rugs. The room was an explosion of books and trinkets. Bookshelves warped by magic and time held dozens and dozens of volumes. Some of the books were glowing, others floating a bit, and some just rather ordinary. On the shelves, the books shared space with all sorts of objects from tarot cards to feathers. There were pieces of jewelry, rocks, and small old boxes that could contain anything. There was an astrolabe, half a dozen dusty crystal balls, and a dismantled telescope.

Draco grinned at Ginny's awestruck face. "You can look through if you want. Hardly anything is cursed in here. The really dangerous stuff is locked up in the study. There are couches up in the loft, along with a few more books. Here." And before Ginny knew it, a brass ladder was hurtling towards them. She felt a bit ridiculous being awed by a ladder, but it was engraved with designs and had veins of emerald running along it. Not to mention inscriptions on every rung. Squinting at it, she could make out only a handful of the runes.

She didn't have time to study it though as Draco told her to climb on behind him. Once she did, the ladder zoomed back across the room, and she followed Draco up into the reading area. It was a wide area, possibly 2 meters deep, but her head nearly hit the ceiling. Draco was ducking to avoid being thwacked. "I've tried extension charms on the ceiling, but they always fade and collapse within an hour or so." She watched him fling himself onto the couch, and grinned. He looked so unkempt. Picking up the book that had been left on the other cushion, she glanced at the title, and then thwacked him with it.

"Draco Malfoy!" His eyes were glinting with mirth. "What? I'm just trying to be prepared." Ginny flipped the book open to a random page and wrinkled her nose. "Are you planning to cheat on me with a centaur then?" His arms reached out and grabbed her by the waist. Ginny allowed her body to fall onto his lap, and flipped to another page. "Is that really what a goblin's bits look like?" Draco put his head on her shoulder, and read the page with her. "I suppose you could always put an engorgement charm on it? I met a half goblin once. Larissa. Looked mostly human. Was a bit squat. Large pointed ears and a bit of a pug nose. She could hide it pretty well with the right hat though."

Ginny knew that there were a number of beings with mixed parents. She had never given much thought to just what their parents had done to bring them into existence though. She knew she would regret it, but she couldn't help but have a perverse curiosity. She flipped to a page illustrating and describing how a wizard and giantess could get it on and tried not to think of them as Hagrid's parents.

"I hope you guessed this already. But there is about a twenty page section describing sex between witches and wizards, which is what I was reading it for." Ginny turned her head and looked at him with a mischievous expression. "Yeah? And do you have a favorite page?" He bit his lip, and then reached around her and turned the page. He didn't say anything. Just let her look and read on her own. His arm stayed firmly around her waist, but otherwise let her be. Ginny shifted on his lap and then leaned back into him when she was done. "Can we work up to it?" He tightened his hold on her and kissed her neck. "Course we can."

They stayed in the room for a good hour or so as Ginny explored the bookshelves and boxes, Draco only occasionally able to tell her where a trinket was from or how old something was. After that he led her to the second most interesting room in the house; the room of curiosities. She had just picked up a snake skin that changed colors when you touched it, when the door slammed open.

There was a minute of shock where Ginny and Lucius simply stared at each other, and then Lucius regained his bearings. "Ah, welcome Miss. Weasley. I heard this morning went well?" Ginny nodded dumbly and moved her left hand so that he would be able to see the ring for himself. He nodded. "Well in that case, you two ought to get dressed. Draco, if she needs help with the robes, fetch your mother, but only if you really can't figure it out. She is in an absolute state. The guests are arriving within the hour and that damned elf has gone and put poison in the pudding again."

Ginny couldn't help but blanch. "What do you mean again?" It was Draco that answered, sounding more exasperated than anything. "Remember when I said we had Aunt Bella's old elf? Well we haven't quite got it to sort out its priorities yet. At the moment, it is rather disgusted that our dinner parties are not some way for us to attack or poison the guests. Obviously having people over for nothing more than an enjoyable night, is a complete waste. An opportunity that we're too stupid to take advantage of."

Ginny didn't know whether to be horrified or amused. Lucius was quite visibly annoyed. "Stay upstairs until your mother calls for you. I'm heading downstairs to check for any traps or curses. Last week the elf managed to get the carpet to burn through the boots of Aurelius Abbott when he came to visit. The thing was still holding on to a grudge from when Aurelius and Cygnus were fighting over something back in the 40s." And with that unsettling warning, Lucius left.

Ginny knew she needed to get changed. But being in Draco's room, she found herself much too distracted. She squealed with excitement when she noticed a snitch on the shelf signed by the seeker for the Falmouth Falcons, and immediately began interrogating Draco on what it had been like to meet him. And then she began opening things. Every time was a surprise, Draco choosing to stand back and let her explore. She opened one wardrobe expecting clothes, but instead found herself gaping at a gramophone and nearly a hundred records all held in slots, thanks to an extension charm. One chest had large albums chock full of Quidditch trading cards and Chocolate Frog card collections. Another drawer that looked as if it ought to be for socks or something turned out to be full of star charts. "Did you even take astronomy?"

"I haven't looked at them for a few years. I used to be more into it. Got an O on my OWL. I did start NEWT classes, but I skipped so many classes sixth year that she wouldn't let me take it seventh year." Ginny tried to tell if he was bothered by that, but couldn't get a good read on him. He wasn't making eye contact with her though, so she closed the drawer and changed the subject just in case. The easiest way to distract him was actually the most practical way as well; to start taking off her clothes. By the time she was down to her stockings and chemise, Draco had her in his arms and was kissing along her jaw while his hands kneaded her breasts. She let herself be lost to the moment for a while, and then shoved him gently away. They did have a time constraint after all. Time it turned out, that they really shouldn't have wasted.

Draco was still struggling with her laces when they heard the beginning of the music in the ball room start up. All it did was raise both of their panic levels. "What are you doing! You just left a gigantic gap! No, not that way!" Draco grunted and undid it again. "How the hell is there not a spell for this? This is the stupidest…most frustrating…there! Is that tight enough yet?" Ginny scrutinized the mirror she had floating in front of her that let her see her side better. "What did you do at the bottom?"

"I tied it!" Ginny took a deep breath and reminded herself that Draco had no experience with witch's clothes. "You have to make the knot look nice Draco. Not limp and pathetic." Through the mirror, Ginny could see his scowl.

She huffed. "Alright, fine. Just start lacing the other side. I think I can do the knot myself." It was a bit of an awkward angle to work at, but in the end her knot was at least better than Draco's had been. This particular gown laced up on either side of her, from the top of her ribcage down to her hips. While she appreciated the deep green velvet fabric of it that kept her warm, the heavier material also meant that the lacings had to be extremely tight to hold it together. At first Draco kept lacing it too loosely, supposedly worried about hurting her, but Ginny had never heard something so ridiculous.

By the time they got down to the ballroom, nearly all the guests had arrived and were deep into the appetizers floating around the room. Draco leaned in to whisper in her ear. "Father must not have trusted the elf." Ginny nodded distractedly, thinking that the Malfoys hardly needed the presence of an elf to make clear their social standing. There was an actual quartet playing in the corner, and sometime in the last few hours, the tree had acquired a large sprawl of gifts for all the guests. Ginny grabbed a goblet of eggnog and looked around the room. She had just taken a sip when she nearly spit it out. Harry?

Without any explanation of where she was going, she left Draco alone and began making her way across the room. "What are you doing here?" She hadn't interrupted any great discussion. While wearing perfectly serviceable formal robes, Harry still looked extremely out of place. He had been doing nothing but standing near the window, trying to be as much out of the way as possible.

At her question, he looked completely lost for an answer. "I really don't know. My supervisor owled me his invite not two hours ago, demanding I show up to represent our department's interest or something. He apparently caught the flu. It's not a business meeting though is it? This is just a Christmas party." Ginny could only shrug. "I think it's one of those things that the party is really a chance to make connections. See over there? Draco's talking to that man with the bright green waistcoat. I'll bet you five galleons he's angling for some sort of influence."

Harry paled. "I really hate this. How long do you think I have to stay for Bruckle to not lose his head?" Ginny rolled her eyes. She knew it wasn't Harry's cup of tea, but it wasn't really as torturous as he was making it out to be. "Come on then, let's make you some friends." For the next hour, Ginny strode over to any group that looked promising and inserted herself in the conversation, Harry dragging himself along at her heels.

"Oh yes! Professor Slughorn's parties are still quite memorable. Why, just last month he had us spend the evening in a boat! Seven of us, all NEWT students. It was a bit cold of course, but we did see the mermaids come up as he expected. One saw us spying and tried to sink our boat, but a few well aimed repelling spells did the trick."

The group around her burst into laughter, and Ginny smiled pleasantly, listening as the wizard next to her reminisced about a party of Slughorn's from over thirty years ago. At her side, Harry muttered into her ear. "I thought you hated that night. Didn't Hermione say you nearly decided to jump ship and take your chances swimming back to the Castle?" Ginny elbowed Harry pointedly and refused to look at him. When she had tried to set Harry up to speak earlier, he had done nothing but say he hadn't really fancied much about Slughorn, leading to an awkward silence in the group.

Eventually, everyone moved out of the ballroom and towards the dining room for supper. Ginny purposefully maneuvered herself to sit next to a woman who she had heard earlier was Madame Rothbard. Ginny remembered Fleur contemplating getting her wedding dress from her. Ultimately, Fleur had gone with some French designer, but it had been a close call. Harry followed her in and sat on her other side, leaving Ginny slightly startled. Wouldn't he know she might want to sit next to Draco? The seats across from her were filling up and she caught Draco's eye from across the room. He raised an eyebrow at her, and then shrugged, sliding into a seat nearer to the head of the table. The table was enormous, long enough to accommodate all forty guests.

Before food was served, Lucius stood up at the head of the table and made a brief speech about how lovely the holidays were and how happy he was to have all of them, before the guests all began digging in to the many platters along the table.

"I have always loved the idea of fairy dust. Is there any way to make it cling to silk well?" Ginny was only vaguely aware of Harry being quiet and bored on the other side of her as Madame Rothbard described a fabric called charmeuse, and how it compared with silk. By the end of the meal, she had set up an appointment for three days from now to begin being fit for a dress. She was nearly bursting with excitement. "Is it over finally?" Ginny turned around to look over at Harry, and frowned in annoyance as the people around them all began leaving their seats.

Before she could say anything though, Draco was there, his hand outstretched. "I hope you're ready to be the center of attention. Father was planning to do it before supper, but given where we ended up sitting….it rather annoyed him I think." Ginny's eyes widened, and her heart began thumping slightly. She knew they had announced it to her family already. But this seemed something quite different. "Where should we be?"

"By the tree. Come on." And as she made her way through the party, her arm firmly tucked inside Draco's, she found herself thinking how happy her younger self would be right now. In a beautiful dressrobe, at a posh party, about to become part of the wealthiest family in Britain. Of course money wasn't everything, but she would be an absolute liar if she didn't admit to it feeling like a fairy tale. Standing right next to the tree, Ginny watched Narcissa and Lucius walk towards them. Draco had been right. Arm in arm with her husband, no one would suspect how unhappy Narcissa was to have Ginny here.

Lucius waved his wand so red and green sparks fell out, and the crowd quieted. He looked positively smug. "Before we begin the gift giving, I would like to present the first gift of the evening to Ginevra. She is a strong, talented witch who has quite captured the heart of my son. And it is with great pleasure that I officially announce their engagement." Ginny flushed as the room celebrated, claps and shouts mixed in with sparks from wands. Not that the gossip hadn't already spread hours ago. But the official announcement was still important. She gently lifted the lid off of the box, and then forced a smile as she looked up. Luckily, that was enough as the rest of the guests soon lost interest in her in favor of acquiring their own present, while his parents left to be gracious hosts to everyone else.

"Are you alright?" Ginny stared at the box again. It was a lovely set of earrings. The problem? She didn't have pierced ears. It was generic. Probably last minute. It's not like she expected his parents to know much about her. She would be just as useless at giving either of them a present. Still. "I..er..I don't wear earrings is all." Draco blinked, looked down at the gift, and back up to her face. And then he used his hand to cup her cheek and kiss her. "Just give it time. Now, put that box back under the tree and come dance with me."

It didn't matter then that she didn't know the steps. That the music was more formal than she was used to. She just let him guide her, moving back when he pushed, coming in when he pulled, and if her steps weren't quite right, they were good enough. It wasn't long before Draco couldn't help himself, and began purposefully messing up the steps. At one point he spun her out, and then pulled her back in so that she was right up against him, much closer than she was supposed to be. Another time, he stepped too far forward and leaned in for a kiss. His hand slipped from her waist to her hip, and his pelvis came indecently close to hers before he pulled away again.

And then they both flinched, each having felt a slight sting. Looking around, they met Lucius' stare. He gave them a firm look with a raised eyebrow, and then turned back around to continue talking to his companion. Instead of being embarrassed or upset, they both looked at each other, and had to hold back laughter. Nothing could ruin today. Tonight. They were together. They were going to get married. It was the best Christmas present either of them could ask for.


	23. Pride

**Chapter 8: Pride **

"Alright, out with it! What's so funny?" Ginny knew she wasn't being fair. She had cornered Elise on their way to Charms, determined to figure out why nearly every girl had been snickering at her all morning. Elise bit her lip and looked at Ginny with wide eyes. Ginny kept her mouth in a firm line. She felt bad about taking her wand out and threatening the girl, but it had to be done.

"It wasn't me, honest! I just saw it is all." Ginny's temper was dangerously high. She was not in the mood for vague answers. "Saw what." Elise stared at her in fear, and then began trembling. Shite. Elise began sobbing, and Ginny's body slumped in defeat. Stuffing her wand back into her pocket, she reached out to touch Elise's shoulder. The girl jumped at her touch and shrieked, before realizing Ginny had now put her wand away.

"I'm not going to hurt you. Just tell me what it is. Please?" Elise stared at her, and Ginny worked very hard to keep calm. None of this was really Elise's fault. The truth was, Ginny's patience had been stretched ever since coming back from the Holidays. Aside from Luna, she had not received a single compliment about her engagement ring. No one had asked her about wedding plans. No one had said congratulations. Instead, she had been met with sneers and hostility. It was slowly driving her mad. And this morning had been the worst. There was something being said about her, and she could no longer trick herself into thinking it didn't matter. She had to know.

Elise finally pulled herself together enough to answer. "Well, it's a sort of note I guess. It's being passed around so I don't know how I can show you exactly."

"Well what does it say?" At that, Elise blushed and shrugged her shoulders. Ginny knew it must say something. But she also knew that the likelihood of Elise having written it was nearly zero. It was most likely Astoria's little gang. Fine. She was just going to have to figure it out on her own. She should have known Elise would be completely useless. "Right then. Well come on, we're going to be late." And with that, Ginny spun around and began stomping off. Bewildered, Elise followed her to class while Ginny completely ignored her.

She needed to get that note. She would burn it, and then she would get revenge. It wasn't until Potions that afternoon that she managed it. Largely ignoring her own potion, Ginny waited until Astoria got up to go get supplies, and then quickly yanked out her wand. Summoning the girl's bag from across the room, Ginny immediately began rummaging through it in search of a note. There. Ginny pulled it out, shoving it into her own bag, and then looked up. At least three classmates were all staring at her. Ginny glared at them all, and then sent Astoria's bag back to the girl's seat.

Luckily Slughorn had been oblivious to it all, and Ginny took a deep breath before going back to chopping. She was positive one of the girls would tell Astoria what she had done. But it didn't matter. What could Astoria do? Tell Slughorn that Ginny had stolen a note from her? She would only land herself in trouble as well. She couldn't even try summoning it back, Ginny having closed her bag tightly to keep it in.

"Did you just steal something Ginny? As Head Girl I really can't just turn a blind eye to that sort of thing." Hermione was whispering furiously at her, and Ginny none to gently kicked her leg under the table. "I'll explain later. Promise. Just keep chopping." Hermione huffed, but otherwise seemed to let it go.

They had barely left the dungeon before Hermione whirled on her though. "Alright. Class is done. Time to explain. What were you thinking, going through another student's personal belongings!" Before Ginny got a chance to respond, Astoria was there as well, along with her little posse.

"No, it's alright Granger. She can see it if she wants. She might as well know what we all think of her." At that barb, Ginny rolled her eyes, the insults of her being a whore so old now that they barely registered. But Hermione bristled. "If that note is about what I think it is, you will all have detention this Saturday!"

Ginny couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed by Hermione's display, especially as none of the Slytherin girls looked even a bit worried. To be honest, she wasn't really ashamed of what she and Draco got up to anymore. If anything, Ginny was beginning to think the other girls were simply jealous. Wishing that they had experienced being with a man as well. "Oh don't worry. We hardly need to write a note about what everyone already knows. That Weasely earned that ring by being on her knees." Ginny couldn't help it. Looking at all those girls smirk at her like that, it was pathetic.

"What an odd idea. Is that how you're hoping to earn your ring Greengrass? It's alright. Not all of us can have the intelligence and personality needed to charm a man. If you think using your body is the only way to get engaged, go for it. I'm sure Puckle won't mind." She gave her own cruel smirk as Astoria went red. Ginny really didn't know anything about the relationship between her two Slytherin classmates. But she had seen them making out, and his hands roamed enough that Ginny was fairly certain they had done more than just kiss.

"How dare you! Some of us know to value our virtue. Some of us had respectable upbringings. Some of us had mothers who-" Ginny's hand clenched around her wand, ready to blast Astoria into the wall. But before either girl could do anything, Hermione had inserted herself into the argument. "That's enough! Walk away, both of you, or I will be forced to issue detentions." Ginny found herself shaking with anger, but forced herself to turn around and stomp off. She had to have control. To remind herself that she was better than all of them.

Her classmates were just bitter. They had always assumed Draco was just with her so that he could shag her. That he would just use her for her body. And the worst part was that she couldn't even blame them. She and Draco had purposefully made them all think that way last year. She couldn't fix it now. They had decided to have sex before marriage, and this was just the price for it. But Merlin, it was so hard! It wasn't fair. She was engaged! She was supposed to be happy. To have people be happy for her. Instead, she had to deal with this crap.

Back in the common room, she pulled out the note Astoria had made about her, planning to toss it in the fire. And then she saw it. No wonder Elise hadn't been able to tell her what it said. It was nothing but a picture. Ginny continued to look at it in disbelief, and then threw it back into her bag. She wanted to cry. To scream. She didn't care that people knew she and Draco had been sleeping together. That their relationship had started out as physical. But she did mind this. Did anyone actually think this about her? It was much worse than being called a slut. This was a judgement on her entire character.

Ginny went down to supper, determined to look completely unaffected. She sat right in the middle of the table and began eating, ignoring the stares of the third years around her. Why was she not at the end with the other seventh years? Why was she here, looking directly ahead and not trying to talk to anyone? Simply, it was because she needed time to herself. She needed a plan. Some way to combat that note.

Her concentration was abruptly broken by Dean shooing a third year out of their seat and sitting next to her. "Did you write to him yet?" Ginny just stared at him.

"Damnit Ginny! I thought we talked about this!" She grabbed a roll and refused to look at him. "Yes, and I seem to remember telling you that I won't do it." Dean grabbed her wrist, and Ginny tensed. He yanked her around to face him, too angry to worry about hurting her. She had half a mind to throw the roll at his face.

"How do you think it will feel for me Ginny! Me and all the other muggleborn students here? If Lucius Malfoy gets reinstated to the Governors' Board, it will just mean that nothing's changed." She knew she should probably care more. Be just as outraged as Dean was over her future father-in-law still being powerful. But what was she supposed to do? No one was getting killed or being imprisoned anymore. Muggleborns were perfectly free to get an education, hold a job, and live in the wizarding world as they always had. They weren't being persecuted. And while she knew Lucius was still a bigot and a blood purist, she didn't know exactly what to do with that information.

"What is the bloody point of being with him if you can't use it to our advantage somehow?" Ginny knew what Dean was getting at, but it wasn't fair. He was putting all this pressure on her, yet there really wasn't anything she could do. She might be marrying his son, but Ginny had no delusions that Lucius held any regard for what she said or thought. And neither did any of the other Governors. They had been infighting and making alliances with each other for decades. If she really wanted to have the ear of any of them, it would take years of socializing with them and their families.

At the moment, the only one who cared what she thought was Draco. And Ginny was rather sure he still had years ahead of him before his voice would matter much in the Ministry. If she was really going to help Dean ensure Lucius wasn't reinstated to the Board of Governors, she would have to get Draco to personally appeal to his father over it.

"Dean, if this is really a battle you want to fight, then I'll help you. But not through Draco. Get together a petition or something. Lobby the Ministry with it. Organize a protest."

Dean glared at her. "You know, maybe you're a better match than I realized. I always thought you cared about others, but maybe I was wrong. At the end of the day, you're just another privileged pureblood." And with that, he got up and left Ginny sitting alone in astonishment.

Was that really what Dean thought of her? That she was only useful for her connection to Draco? She was surprised at how hurt she was. She did care. She would help. Of course she would. But trying to do what Dean wanted her to…Draco would never do it. He would resent her for asking. He would be hurt that she wanted to use him as a political tool. And more importantly, it wouldn't be right to pressure him into hurting his relationship with his father for a cause he didn't even believe in. That wasn't something you asked of someone you loved.

If her conversation with Dean hadn't been enough to ruin her night, what followed next certainly was. Ten minutes later found her biting her tongue, trying to hold in her anger as she was issued a detention. The rest of the school watched and whispered as Professor Sinistra, the new Head of House, told her to report to Filch at eight o'clock tomorrow night. This was so stupid. All Ginny had done was ask the little snot to pass the butter. Instead of passing it, he had high handedly told her that he wasn't her servant, and to get it herself.

When she had blinked at him in astonishment, he had sneered and told her some rubbish about how he wasn't going to be intimated by her. He had told her he didn't care how rich or powerful she thought she was now. It was the mention of powerful that cinched it. She was a damn good witch, and had no intention of letting some stupid fifth year use her to bolster his own reputation. His chest had been puffed up and he looked so bloody smug while talking, she really had no other option than to hex him. Suddenly the git was clutching his face, wailing in horror, crying like she had done much worse than some bat boogies.

Of course at that point the whole hall was looking on in curiosity. There was no way to hide what she had done. And so she had gotten a detention.

Her appetite gone, Ginny left the Great Hall and headed to the tower. Part of her wanted to simply get out her wand and start blasting things. But the last thing she needed was to get in more trouble. So instead, she made do with sitting on her bed, furiously writing a letter. This had been an awful day from start to finish and she needed to vent. Her quill was still scratching away when she heard the door to her room open.

"Don't tell me you're writing to him!" Too irritated to bother with being polite, Ginny didn't even look up from her letter. "Mind your own business Lizzie."

She was shocked when suddenly the quill was ripped out of her hand. Lizzie stood there, holding her quill, scowling terribly at her. "So it's true then? You're hoping that by complaining to him you'll what? Get out of detention?" Had Lizzie gone crazy?

"What? No, of course not! That doesn't even make sense." What was everyone's problem? So what if Draco and his family had money? They were still just people. He had absolutely no influence at Hogwarts. She had every right to complain to him, just like any other person with a boyfriend or fiancé would. It didn't mean that she was entitled or trying to get special treatment.

"Well why are you writing to him then?" Ginny couldn't believe she really needed to explain this. Shouldn't it be obvious? "Same reason you write to your parents weekly. Because I want to tell things to a person who I know loves me."

Lizzie made a face, and Ginny took a deep breath, trying to keep herself from flying off the handle again. "Yes, Lizzie. I love him and he loves me. Sorry to burst your little delusion." Ginny suddenly had a very strong suspicion that Lizzie had seen the note being passed around earlier and had made no attempt to defend her. That very possibly, Lizzie agreed with what the note implied. Ginny watched as a flash of panic overtook her roommate, and that was the last straw.

Hermione slammed open the door with her wand held in front of her, having heard the screams and crashes from the common room. In her astonishment, she blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "Fifty points for destruction of school property and excessive violence against another student!" Ginny immediately lowered her wand, and gaped at her friend. "Fifty!"

The room was an absolute mess. The canopy of Ginny's bed had collapsed, the bed posts having been snapped. Antigone's trunk had been upended, spilling all its contents out onto the floor. Her own wardrobe had been shoved across the room and had scorch marks on it. And most importantly, Ginny was sprouting thick patches of fur all over her body while Lizzie was on the floor crying, her body littered with small cuts.

"See that I don't make it an even hundred! Now what happened?" Hermione tried to listen carefully as Ginny and Lizzie interrupted each other, each giving her parts of the story. It seemed that there had been some sort of disagreement, and thinking that Ginny was going to attack, Lizzie had snapped the bedposts, causing the canopy of the bed to collapse on Ginny. Having escaped the canopy, Ginny had emerged, rather upset, and tried to hex Lizzie. Lizzie had summoned Hermione's wardrobe over to hide behind, and Ginny's spell had hit the furniture instead. From there, they had dodged around the room, furniture being hit more often than not. Until finally their hexes hit. Ginny's had been some sort of whirlwind spell that Hermione had never heard of, and Lizzie had hexed her to grow fur.

"But she's the one who started it 'Mione! She called me a niffler!"

"I did not!"

"Really? So when you saw the note this morning, you denied it did you?"

"I didn't draw it!"

"But you didn't disagree!"

Hermione felt completely lost. A niffler? What was Ginny talking about? Ginny seemed to understand Hermione's confusion. For in the next moment, Ginny had riffled through her satchel, and tossed the parchment to Hermione. Hermione opened it and stared at it, still a bit mystified. It didn't say anything. It was a very good drawling of a niffler, but for the head. Where the niffler's face was supposed to be, was Ginny's. Whoever did this was an excellent artist.

"Was this what you took from Greengrass in Potions?" Ginny nodded, her face red with anger and embarrassment. Hermione hated feeling like she didn't understand something. Of course being called any kind of animal was an insult, but why a niffler?

None of them seemed to know what to say. There was an awkward tension in the air, but none of them knew how to address it. Eventually, they all got out their wands and began to repair their room in silence. It wasn't until Lizzie had left that Hermione finally asked Ginny what was wrong. Ginny crossed her arms over her chest, but it looked more protective than defensive.

"I never thought people would think that about me 'Mione. But now that they do, I don't know how to prove them wrong." Hermione sat on the edge of her own bed and tried to think. Ginny was truly, deeply upset. More upset than Hermione had ever seen her. What were nifflers known for? Searching for and stealing shiny objects. Known as thieves by some. Oh. That's what was so upsetting. Ginny was being called a gold digger.

"Only an idiot would ever think you'd marry for money. As nauseating as it is to see, even Ron knows you love the prat. The way you two stand together...the small touches." Hermione trailed off, and Ginny gave a small smile. "Thanks."

"But as for everyone else? I don't know. You might just have to wait it out. Once you're married, you could prove it by eschewing his wealth. Live in an apartment. Only buy things with your own money." Ginny nodded, but made no comment. It wasn't often that Ginny wasn't in the mood to talk. It only made Hermione more worried. "Well then. Let's get you to the Hospital Wing. Madame Pomphrey will have that fur gone in no time."

Over the next couple of days, Hermione tried to keep an eye on Ginny. But if Ginny was still feeling down, she was hiding it very well. She went back to her normal, loud self and never mentioned the note again. She had cordial, if a bit distant, communication with Lizzie and actively avoided Astoria in classes. Eventually, Hermione concluded things had gone back to normal, and put all of her focus back on NEWTS and Head Girl duties. After all, she only had a few more months in school. She was determined to make the most out of every minute.

Ginny stared blankly at the revision schedule Hermione had handed her, letting her friend's words about studying wash over her. That Hermione was prattling on about NEWTS when they were on their way to Hogsmeade should have amused her. But instead, Ginny spent all of her energy trying to hide her nerves. She had gone over it again and again in her mind, and knew she needed to have a conversation with Draco over it. She also knew it was not going to go well.

"Ginny, are you even listening to me?"

Ginny blinked, and then smirked. "And encourage this madness? Of course not. You'll do brilliantly and get all 7 NEWTS, revision schedule or no. Now, if we were speaking about how we are going to sneak you out of Hogwarts so my brother can whisk you away on Valentine's…"

"Oh that. I told him to just go with someone from work." Ginny's mouth fell open in shock. Hermione's chin went up and her back went stiff. "It's the only sensible thing to do. Ronald said that Harry would only agree to ask that witch from the café to the Auror's party if Ron went too. And that he didn't want to be a third wheel because Harry really needed to …erm…get out there."

Ginny crossed her arms and slumped in her seat with a huff. She had long ago learned how to read through Hermione's heavily edited version of events. She knew for a fact Ron would have been thrilled to show off his girlfriend at his first work function. That Hermione had then likely told him what she told Ginny, that expecting her to break the rules and sneak out of school as well as shirk her patrolling duties was absurd, would have only hurt her brother tremendously. They had likely fought over it in a series of letters, and Ron had only agreed to take someone else in a pique of anger when Hermione suggested it.

The problem was that both Ron and Hermione were so sensitive to criticism, that Ginny really didn't know how to help. Neither of them were likely to back down. Ginny was already resigning herself to having to comfort Hermione in a few weeks when Ron would inevitably follow through with her suggestion, and take a coworker. The carriage jolted to a stop, and Hermione sighed. "Malfoy's here isn't he?" At Ginny's nod Hermione's expression fell.

"I thought so. I'll see you tonight then I suppose." And then before Ginny could think of something to say, Hermione had left the carriage and was walking down the street. Of course. Ginny was such an idiot. Hermione had been going on about NEWTS to avoid the fact that Ron wasn't coming to see her. While she felt bad, she also couldn't help but be reluctant to chase after her friend. Ditching Draco to run after Hermione would not be a good start to a date where she was already planning to bring up an idea that she knew he was not going to like.

As it turned out, however, the idea of the date beginning well was already moot. Coming out of the carriage, she was completely unprepared for the look he shot her when she caught his eye. He turned around and wrapped up his conversation with Pucey, while Ginny scrambled to think. Surely he couldn't already know what she was planning to say. She hadn't made mention of it in any of her letters. Or at least she didn't think she had. She didn't have long to wonder what she had done to irk him. Very quickly, he had strode over to her, grabbed her arm, and led her through the crowd, away from the shops. His grip on her was tight. She kept quiet though and let him lead, willing to wait until they were in a more private area. Once out of sight of her classmates though, she yanked her arm back, and used her other hand to shove him away.

"What in Merlin's name do you think you're doing!" He let go of her but remained incredibly close, his eyes gleaming with malice. He was towering over her, intimidating her with his presence. "No. The question is what the bloody hell have you been doing? My father was to be inducted back onto the Board of Governors this coming Monday. Yesterday he was informed it would be postponed pending further discussion. Imagine his outrage when after a bit of investigating, he found the cause to be a letter. A letter from some idiot muggleborn that would have been easily dismissed if not for the inclusion of his future daughter-in-law's signature."

Ginny paled. And then her indignation rose up. "Who showed your father that letter? That is completely unethical!" Draco's hand came around to hold the back of her neck and squeeze. She could feel from the tension in his fingers that he was trying very hard not to hurt her more seriously. "You are going to write a letter immediately, explaining that your signature must have been forged by someone who is jealous of your upcoming inclusion into the Malfoy family and that you have nothing but support for my father's induction onto the Board."

Ginny's eyes narrowed and she thought of twisting her neck to escape his grip, before deciding she didn't need to. To do so would only make him think she was scared of him. Which she was not. Instead, she stayed perfectly still and looked right at him. "I will do no such thing. The last thing your father needs is a position of power. He does nothing but use it for his own malicious purposes."

"What the fuck are you talking about!"

"He tried to have Dumbledore fired!"

"Students were being petrified! The school wasn't safe and he was obviously incapable of protecting us. Dumbledore never had safety as a priority and you know it!"

"What should he have done, Draco? Kill me? I was the one letting out the Basalisk if you remember!"

"Gin! If one day we have a child. You're saying you would be fine if our twelve year old was at Hogwarts while his classmates are ending up hospitalized?"

"Danger is a part of life!"

At some point his hand had dropped from her neck and he had fisted them at his sides. "You are completely mad if you think I would ever allow you or our children to endanger themselves."

"Allow?" Ginny nearly sneered the word.

"Yes, fucking allow!" Ginny couldn't help it. A thrill ran through her. But being turned on was no reason to lose a fight.

"You can't tell me what to do." He didn't respond. Instead, he raised an eyebrow and just looked at her. Ginny felt herself get warm. They both knew what she had just said wasn't exactly true. Yes, technically he might not be able to force her to do what he said. But it would be a pretty miserable marriage if she was going to insist on disobeying him. He was going to be her husband and he had every right to expect her to listen to what he said.

"Alright, fine. You can be an overprotective idiot if you want and I'll try not to give you a heart attack."

"Idiot, huh?" Ginny let out a breath at the change in his tone, and grinned. "Maybe." His arm went around her waist and yanked her into him. She hugged back, burying her face in the crook of his neck, beaming as she felt him kiss the top of her head. "You are going to drive me insane witch. Now, where should we go? It's freezing out here."

And with that, her nerves were back. She had almost forgotten. "Err…I actually had something I needed to talk to you about. Have you ever been to The Hog's Head?"

A quarter of an hour later found Ginny sitting across from Draco in a wooden booth, his face just as indignant as she had feared.

"An apartment?" Ginny bit her lip as Draco stared at her, completely scandalized.

"Yeah? For the first few years at least. Until I'm making enough money for it to seem reasonable that we can buy a house."

She had thought about how to approach this topic, and decided housing was the best way to go. Still, she had waited until he had ordered them drinks, hoping to get him relaxed and maybe even a bit tipsy. That hadn't quite gone to plan. Neither mug had been touched, or was likely to be. Draco had taken one look at the drinks after they had been slammed down in front of them, and promptly shoved the mugs away to the edge of the table with a look of disgust.

"What the hell are you talking about? We're not living in some hole. If you're worried about having too big of a place to take care of without a house elf, I told you we could get a smaller place with a lot of land. Do renovations or add on to it later. Do you know how many abandoned country homes there are?" Ginny did know, and honestly, she was still shocked that Draco was on board with renovating one. She had never imagined he would be willing to buy a place that was run down, but apparently, he had no issues with it. The enormous expense of repairing and maintaining an older home didn't bother him. He liked that there would be history to the place, and that most of the places had acres of land attached to them.

"Draco, how is anyone going to believe I can afford a place in the country? Especially the places you've been looking at. It's thousands of galleons for any of them." His eyes narrowed and when he spoke, it was biting. "What do you mean you can afford?" She had expected this. Honestly, his reaction wasn't as bad as she had feared. Even so, she was rather glad they had a table between them at the moment. He looked ready to hex someone. "Did somebody tell you that I would hoard my money from you? That I'd force you to pay for things? Was it that idiot Thomas?"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "No, and leave Dean out of this. I just can't have anyone thinking that I'm using you for money. I'll get my own job. A really well paying one. And then if we live simply…"

"You have lost your mind. We are not going to pretend we're poor. We are getting married. My money is your money. End of. Anyone who has a problem with that can fuck off."

"But-"

Draco cut her off before she even had a chance to speak. He was sneering. "And as for you getting a job, that is absolutely not happening."

Ginny gripped the edge of the bench she was sitting on, trying to maintain control. "Excuse you? I will absolutely get a job if that is what I want."

She grit her teeth as he stared at her and then rolled his eyes. "Merlin Gin, calm down. You look like a tomato. I didn't mean Quidditch you daft bint. There's no harm in having a hobby. I meant a real job. Do you know how embarrassing it would be to have people think we needed you to work for money? That I couldn't provide for us?"

Ginny knew what she was going to say would only make the fight worse. That this was not going to solve anything. But she said it anyway. "This isn't about you, you git! This is about me! I have my own reputation to worry about! I am not going to be known as some niffler. And while we're at it, I am not going to be known as some toady of your father either! You want me to write a redaction of my support against his appointment? You're going to have to imperio me to get it!"

His expression turned icy, but Ginny didn't care. She was just as mad at him in that moment. "Get up." He had nearly hissed it at her. Feeling defiant, she crossed her arms and stayed firmly in her seat. His jaw clenched, and then he strode quickly over to the bar and had a quick exchange with the wizard there. Ginny had no idea what he was doing, and she didn't care. Or at least she thought she didn't.

But as he turned around and walked back to her, she found herself unexpectedly scared. She didn't want to be scared of him. She knew she shouldn't be. But she had no idea what was going through his head. "Come with me. We're moving this upstairs." Her heart was beating quickly. He had rented a room for them. Why? She certainly was in no mood to get in bed with him. He extended his hand, palm up, and Ginny's gaze darted from his hand to his face. And her heart slowed down. It didn't matter what was going through his head. He wasn't going to hurt her. She was being ridiculous.

Still, she shunned his offered hand and brushed past him, heading across the pub and up the stairs on her own. She could feel his annoyance from behind her. Well good. The hallway upstairs made the pub downstairs look almost decent. The hall was originally wood, but had since turned nearly black. The walls were stained and greasy. Only one of the four oil lamps seemed to work, providing just enough light to illuminate the cobwebs and dead bugs. She watched Draco's disgust as he took it all in, and nearly laughed when he took out his wand to levitate the key into the door lock, unwilling to touch anything in this place.

She went in as soon as the door opened, only to immediately regret it. The section of the floor she was standing on was sticky, and the air smelled of burnt cinders. She and Draco shared a look, but then much to her surprise, he sighed and used his wand to shut the door. "You mean you really want us to stay in here?"

"It's secure. These rooms all have protection from eavesdroppers. Same charms as some places in Knockturn Alley." Ginny just stared at him. "Eavesdroppers? We were practically the only people down there. Who do you think would come here that would be interested in a fight between some teenagers?"

Ginny saw his frustration, but still did not understand what was going on. "You can't…you can't tell anyone this. But my father getting back onto the Governor's Board. It's not what you think. He's not doing it to cause waves. He won't be trying to sack anyone or get anything changed really. It's just a way to show that he's redeemed himself and is back in favour with some people. Back when he resigned…he actually got kicked off. He might have gone too far and threatened to curse the other Board members' families if they didn't agree to fire Dumbledore. It wasn't a particularly smart thing to do looking back. He never really meant it. He just got carried away. Anyway, he's been working to repair those relationships for years and he might have used you joining the family as a way to convince people that he's changed. So your support is actually very necessary."

Ginny didn't know if she had ever been so indignant. It was all making a terrible, horrible type of sense now. Lucius had always been suspiciously supportive of their relationship. It was because he knew he'd be able to use it to his advantage. And he had been using her. Without her even knowing about it. She wanted to curse him. To shout at him. But he wasn't here. Draco was. "That absolute bastard! I can't believe he's been insinuating I do anything but loathe him. Him and his politics. I know he's your father. I'm not asking for you to get involved. Support him if you have to. But I will not."

"Gin, you know you don't get to do that. Just decide what you are and aren't going to do. I get a say in this too and-."

"No you don't Draco! You told me what is going on and I don't support it!"

"What the fuck do you think a wife does then, if not support her husband?"

"Oh shove off! This isn't about that! This isn't about you!"

"Yes it bloody well is! How do I know you won't sign some letter railing against me next?"

"Are you mental? Of course I wouldn't do that! If I don't like what you're doing, then I'll talk to you about it privately. I'm not an idiot! I won't make it some scandal for the public to stick their noses in."

"Really? You do realize that what you're doing now will cause a scandal, don't you?"

Ginny knew he had a point, but it was unfair. This whole thing was unfair. "So what? I'm no longer allowed to have thoughts of my own? I'm not allowed to disagree with you? You're just going to make all the decisions and I'll have to follow along like some sort of slave."

"Oi!" She ignored his outburst and kept talking. "I'll be seen and not heard. Never bother you or-"

"Damn it Ginny! Shut up! You're being an absolute pain in the arse. I don't know where the fuck all this self pity's come from but you know perfectly well what you're saying is a load of bullocks."

She knew she was pouting. She knew she was being dramatic. But she also felt like she had a valid point and he was dismissing it. He must have noticed how upset she was, because suddenly he groaned and ran his hands through his hair.

When he spoke next, she could tell he was trying to filter any anger out of his words. She appreciated it. "This isn't working. Us both being mad. So here; I won't yell if you won't yell. You'll tell me all your ridiculous opinions, I'll tell you my thoughts, and we'll figure it out together. Deal?"

And just like that, the tension and anger dissipated. She had an embarrassing urge to cry that she promptly squashed. "Really?" Draco sighed and then gave a brief smile. "What else did you think I'd say?"

In a fit of bravery and desperation to heal whatever rift had been between them, they got on the bed to cuddle after having cast it with the strongest scourgify they could muster. Ginny felt herself relax as she flung an arm over his torso and used his chest as a pillow. Together, they talked through how in the future, they would endorse or campaign against only people they could both agree on. That they would both be able to make their own friends and have their own connections, but wouldn't publically support something without the others' consent. As for Lucius, Draco promised to talk to his father about keeping Ginny's name out of his mouth, and Ginny agreed to stay publically neutral.

Together, they drafted Ginny's letter which would simply state that she hoped the Board of Governors would not put much weight to a letter of complaint written by students, and that her own signing of it might have been a hasty, ill-informed choice. That upon further reflection, she did not know enough to either support or protest whatever decision they made and would defer to their judgement on the matter completely.

As for the other issue, as Ginny explained to him how much it bothered her for people to think she cared about money, Draco broke in with asking her why. Why did this bother her when nearly nothing else did? He reminded her of how independent she normally was, not caring what people thought of her choices. And eventually, Ginny realized it had been mixed in with pride. She had spent so long finding pride in being poor, that she had at some point made it a part of her identity.

"Everyone knows I have money Gin. You insisting on not using it would only make them think I'm a cheap bastard who doesn't love you. You'd be making yourself miserable for no reason. The best revenge is simple; be happy and buy whatever the fuck you want."

"But that's just it Draco. Buying things just to spend money won't make me happy. Instead it will stress me out, thinking how much of a waste it is. I like repurposing things and having to get creative and making do and-."

She heard Draco groan overdramatically, and hit his chest playfully. He shifted positions so he could see her face, and then brought his hand up to caress her cheek. "Alright. How about this? We'll buy the house and land both of us agreed we have always wanted, and then I'll leave renovations up to you. You refurbish and decorate it however you want, however cheaply you want. Then further down the road, you can be in charge of daily expenses. Clothes, food, flowers for the yard, whatever. In return, you won't worry about how much I spend on entertainment. Trips, Quidditch tickets, whatever. And if I want to spoil you, you won't worry how much your present cost."

Ginny grinned at him. "Alright, we could give that a go." And then she used her elbows to lift herself up and snog him soundly. He pulled back after a minute, now just as flushed as she was. "Just, if you use second hand stuff, can you not tell me?" His expression was one of genuine concern, and Ginny laughed out loud before agreeing.

She could hardly believe that she had worried all of last week about talking to him. She should have known it would be okay. That a fight wouldn't mean a ruined day. Fights would happen. It was normal. The important thing was that they could work through them and move on.

Staring at him, a wave of affection crashed over her. "I love you." His eyes crinkled in amusement, and he kissed her again. "Good. Because you're stuck with me. You're my witch, and I love you too much to let you go. Even when you're screaming like a banshee and forcing me into these filthy places."

Ginny grimaced. "Yeah, it is pretty grimy. Ready to head back into the fresh air?"

He was quiet for a moment, and then began running his hand down her body. "You know, we've probably already been contaminated by anything on this bed. We might as well go for broke. What do you say? Should we get our money's worth?"

That night in the Great Hall, Ginny couldn't help but feel as if she was glowing. Sure, there might still be classmates that wanted to make her feel bad about herself and her classes might be stressful and overwhelming, but for the first time since being back from Break, she was truly happy. She only had five more months of this place, and then she would have a lifetime of being with Draco. She couldn't wait.


End file.
